The Twilight Diaries
by XKisakex
Summary: Edward left her, broken and empty. Her dad and uncle move her from Forks on the West coast, to Mystic Falls on the East. Will Bella be able to survive the heartbreak Edward bestowed on her? Will she be able to make new friends and perhaps...fall in love again? Will old friends return?
1. Chapter 1

_**Hey everyone, this is my first try at fanfiction. I do a lot of original work but thought I would give this a go since I feel like it could help my writing better. Please comment and review to let me know how I'm doing! **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_Maybe it was all just a dream…maybe…it wasn't real at all…_

The harsh morning light came through the window as Bella lay asleep on her twin-size bed. The light-blue, lace curtains did little to block the light and it had Bella groaning a little before her dark eyes fluttered open. It's been six months. Six months since she saw his perfect, white marble face and topaz eyes. Six months since he left her in the woods and disappeared from her life. It was as if _he never existed. _

"Bella," a gruff, voice came from downstairs. Bella blinked her eyes a few times and took in a deep breath. She was going to _try _today. She was going to attempt to plaster a smile to her face and forget that the past six months never happened. It was the same thing she told herself every day, but somehow, the nightmares kept coming, and her heart just couldn't recover.

"Bella," the voice came again and then you could hear the heavy, booted footsteps coming up the stairs.

"I'm awake," Bella called and the assault on the stairs stopped. Her voice was quiet, and she tried hard to keep it from breaking.

"Jake called…" the voice began. The voice that belonged to her father, Charlie. The police chief here in Forks, Washington, and he was desperately concerned for his daughter's health. This wasn't…_normal. _

Bella didn't respond this time. She only sighed. Jake. The best friend, the wolf, the everything that Bella should want to fall for. For some reason she couldn't get past it…._ him. _

"Bella," Charlie began again. "We need to have a sit down this morning. I have some news that you might not want to hear," he said and then he started back downstairs to wait for her to emerge.

_News…_Bella's inner thoughts were about to start whirling around, but she stopped herself, and threw back the covers and rolled out of bed. She grabbed a new set of clothes. Simple blue jeans, a black long-sleeved shirt, and her black and white high-top converses. She changed her bra out for a simple t-shirt bra, black, and new panties, black as well, but a simple cotton. She opened her bedroom door and twisted and darted into the bathroom quickly. She brushed her teeth as she started the shower, and then quickly declothed and jumped in, sighing as the blistering water hit her skin. She stayed like that for a few minutes before washing quickly and getting out and getting dressed.

When she made it downstairs, Charlie was sitting at the table with a man. Someone that she did not recognize immediately, but then her childhood memories started to return to her. "Uncle…R-Ric?" she stammered.

Alaric Saltzman twisted in his chair to look back at Bella. It had been several years since he had seen his niece. Not since she lived with his half-sister in Virginia. She was only eight or nine then. He was shocked that she had remembered him to be honest.

Charlie stood and cleared his throat. "Bella. I know you don't remember Alaric very well, but we have some news."

Bella walked all the way into the dining room now and looked from Charlie to Alaric. "What is it?" she asked quietly as she crossed her arms around her chest, hugging herself tight. She didn't like how they were looking at her. As if she would collapse at any moment and pass out.

"Well," Alaric began. "It's about…." He stopped. He wasn't sure how to say this to her. Charlie had called him in to help, and here he was, stalling and not quite sure how to approach the topic.

"It's about moving Bells." Charlie finished.

Bella looked from Charlie to Alaric again. "You mean, like away from Forks?" The panic must have reached her eyes because Alaric was standing now too, his hands were on her arms firmly as he looked down at her. His hair seemed to be longer than she remembered. His sandy brown bangs brushed down in his steel blue eyes.

"Bella, don't worry. You're not coming alone. Char- your dad, is making the move too. Remember when you and your mom lived in Virginia?" He said, his eyes searching hers. She darted her gaze down, calling on her memories of her youth. She remembered when Renee had moved them to Virginia to be closer to Alaric because she went through a terrible breakup. This was before "Phil". She remembered her Aunt Isobel, and how much she doted and took care of her when she was there. She looked back up Alaric and nodded.

"Well, we're going to be living in a small town, much like this one, but with more sun. It's called Mystic Falls, and I know that you're going to love it." He reassured her.

"Yes, and the high school there is great Bells. Alaric's girlfriend has a niece and nephew that go to Mystic Falls High, and I'm sure that they will be more than helpful for this transition." Charlie reassured her as well.

This would mean that she would move away from Forks and away from everything that was…_him. _She didn't really know what to say. She was eighteen now, and if she really didn't want to go, she didn't have to, but she knew that she _needed _to.

"Okay," she said after a very long pause. "When do we leave?" She moved away from Alaric now, wanting to get something to drink to quench her dry throat.

"We'll be leaving out Saturday. I've already talked to the school. You don't have to finish out the week. We can go ahead and get your papers transferred to Mystic Falls High. Alaric is flying out in the morning. You can go with him or stay with your old man until the week is up." Charlie said as he relaxed after hearing Bella agreeing to move to Mystic Falls. He wasn't sure that she would go for it. He didn't want to force her, but if he had to, he would have done it.

Alaric smiled a small smile. She could tell that he was sad about the situation. He didn't like to see her so, empty and broken. She just nodded. "I'll leave with Uncle Ric." She decided. If she waited the whole week, she might have the strength to actually make the move.

"Call Jake," Charlie said and Bella nodded her response and went back up to her room.

Alaric turned to Charlie. "She's so broken Charlie." He said in almost a whisper.

Charlie nodded. "He really did a number on her Ric. I really wanted to shoot him for what he's put her through. She still has nightmares. Almost every night. It's been six months…this isn't normal Ric." He said with a defeated voice.

Alaric nodded and put his hands in his jean pockets and let out a sigh. "Well, the change in scenery will be good for her. I know that it's going to take you longer than the week to get out there. That was a good bluff." He looked towards the stairs.

"Well, I have to finish my duties here before I can come and join her. Being a police chief has its pros and cons. The con is, I have to do a longer notice than other people. It's going to take a bit before the new police chief is even elected," he said and went to the coffee pot now and poured himself a cup.

Alaric pulled a hand out of his pocket and ran it through his hair. "Yeah, well, Liz will definitely welcome you. She's down a few deputies, and she could most definitely use the help."

Charlie grinned. He remembered Liz. He's met her a few times over in LA on police conferences. They were good friends and still spoke from time to time. If he remembered correctly, she has a daughter the same age as Bella. "Well, I look forward to seeing Liz again. It's been a few years now," he said and took a long drink of his coffee. This was going to be a new change for all of them, Charlie thought, and this was going to be a good change.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

The near seven-hour flight seemed like it took forever. Bella had tried to fall asleep on the plane, but then quickly realized that she shouldn't fall asleep in public in case her nightmares made an appearance. Instead, she just looked down in a magazine. She never turned the page, but she pretended like she was interested. She hoped that Alaric hadn't realized that she was just zoning out, caught up in her own thoughts. _Mystic Falls…_She thought to herself. It had a great sounding name. Better than Forks. When the plane finally made its descent, her nerves started jumping around again. What if she couldn't find a place in Mystic Falls? What if she was too broken to start over again? A lot of thoughts raced through her mind, but it was Alaric's voice that broke her out of her weary train of thought.

"Bella, everyone is going to love you. You're going to be just fine," Alaric said, as if he could read her thoughts. His voice was warm, caring, and very calming. She tried a small smile for her uncle and then they were exiting the plane and heading through the airport in Norfolk. They would still have a drive ahead of them, but they were that much closer to Mystic Falls, and a new home.

Alaric found his car in the airport overnight lot. It was a newer SUV, black in color, and the seats were heated and leather. There was snow on the ground outside. She forgot that it was winter for a second. She was so used to being _cold _that she didn't really notice that the temperature around her was freezing. She shivered slightly and pulled her jacket around her tightly as she ducked inside the SUV. He smiled at her and started the engine. "You'll be staying with me and Jenna. She has a niece, Elena, and a nephew Jeremy. The house is quite large, and I promise you won't have to share a bathroom with so many people." He said with a half laugh.

Bella smiled. "Thank you." She murmured and turned her head and looked out the window and watched the trees and other cars go by.

Everything seemed to go by in a daze. Soon they were pulling up to an older, plantation styled home. It was large, but nothing too extravagant. It reminded her of Jessica's house back in Forks. She knew that it had so much space just by looking at its exterior. Alaric parked and helped Bella out of the SUV and grabbed her bags. She packed light, so there wasn't so many things.

"What do you think?" Alaric quizzed.

"Well…it is…big," she tried a chuckle, but it came out awkward. Alaric didn't press her anymore and led her up the steps and into the house. Jenna was in the kitchen. Bella assumed it was Jenna because she appeared to be around Alaric's age. Her auburn hair was tied up in a bun on top of her head and there was an explosion of papers all around her at the kitchen bar. She had one socked foot hiked up on the other barstool and she was looking down at the papers in front of her intently. She glanced up when she heard Alaric shuffle in and kiss the top of her head lightly.

"Oh! You're back!" she said and was bouncing up from her seat and hugging him. She then turned her eyes on me. Her green eyes shone bright and the giant smile plastered on her face made Bella feel so much better about being here and intruding on their space.

"You're Bella! Oh my! Welcome to Mystic Falls!" she said and was bouncing over to Bella now and pulling her in quick for a strong hug. Bella's face had a look of surprise as she looked over at Alaric who was grinning stupidly and shaking his head. Bella smiled at Jenna as she pulled back.

"Oh, I'm Jenna by the way," she said quickly and was then standing beside Alaric.

"Hi Jenna. Thank you for opening your home to me," she said quietly with a small, sad smile.

"It is no problem at all! Come now, I'll show you to your room!" she said quickly and took Bella's hand in hers. She pulled her up the stairs. Alaric was following behind with Bella's bags. They stopped at a door.

"Now, I tried to guess at what you would like. Elena helped some since you two are about the same age. I hope everything looks okay," Jenna rushed her words and was flinging the door open smoothly. Bella stepped inside the well-lit room. There was a full bed, white wrought iron from the looks of it with a soft blue bed spread that had some hints and swirls of green in it. The fluffy pillows matched the comforter. The furniture was an antiqued grey color. A dresser with a mirror, chest, and a full-size armoire. It was more than what she had back in Forks. She noticed a bay window with a seat that you could sit in and look outside. The curtains were a soft blue, like back home, but they were not lacey at all. They wear a sheer fabric, that sort of shimmered as the sun hit it. A matching bookcase was empty near the window and then there was a door, that she assumed, was the closet. The floors were a light-colored hardwood, almost a mix between a grey and pecan. A turquoise shaggy rug was at the side of the bed and the side table had a simple, white shaded lamp.

"So…what do you think?" Jenna asked nervously.

Bella walked around the room some. She even opened the door she saw, and it was indeed a closet. A closet big enough to fit a twin-size mattress in. She wasn't sure she would ever have enough clothes to fill it at all. "It's perfect Jenna. Thank you. Blue is my favorite color," she said softly and with a real smile this time. The pressure that she was feeling in her chest was slowly fading.

"Oh, thank god!" Jenna let out a breath that she was holding. Alaric chuckled behind her and then pushed into the room gently and set the bags down in the floor. "Alright kiddo, we'll leave you be. Elena and Jeremy should be getting home soon. We'll have dinner down at the Grille tonight because in all of the planning, we forgot groceries." He said and Jenna gasped. Before she could ramble on, he steered her out of the room and then winked back at Bella.

Bella watched her uncle usher her out of the room and back downstairs. She took a look around the room again and took a deep breath. This was it. She was finally not in Forks anymore. This was a new start. She went to her bags and started putting things away, not paying attention to the time.

Bella hadn't realized that the time had flown by so much until Alaric was knocking on the door frame. He leaned against it with his arms crossed lazily. "So, you settling in okay?" he queried.

She smiled. "Yes actually. This is the first time…" she trailed off as her eyes went to the floor.

"Yeah…I know. Listen, Charlie isn't gonna make it this week," he started.

"I know." She said simply. "I know he has to finish his work in Forks. I knew you guys were trying to make it easier on me for leaving."

He just nodded and then pushed off the door frame and walked into the room. "Listen, if you need to talk…I'm right here. I know it's been a while, but I'm always going to be here for you Bella. You know that." His voice was soft, and she could tell that he really meant what he said.

Just then the door opened, and closed downstairs and the bubbling voices of teenagers were emerging up the stairs.

"That would be Elena and Jeremy," Alaric said. "Right on queue." He said with a smirk.

Suddenly a brunette girl appeared with a tall brunette boy right behind her. "Hey! You must be Bella," Elena's voice was light and friendly.

"Hello," Bella said softly and smiled. Elena was beautiful. Her eyes were dark brown like her hair. Her skin was flawless, and she was a little bit taller than Bella. Jeremy was taller than Bella and Elena. His dark hair was shaggy in the front like Alaric's. His eyes were a chocolate brown like Elena's and his build was very muscular, like he worked out a lot.

"Hey, I'm Jeremy." He sounded off and came into the room fully and reached out a hand. Bella shook it gently and then pulled her hand back gently and hugged her body tightly. Elena noticed how nervous she looked and smiled softly at Elena. "Hey, it's okay. You're family now. If there's anything that me and Jeremy can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask us," she said, and Bella nodded.

"Alright kids. We're eating at the Grille for dinner because- "Alaric was cut off.

"No groceries again," Elena said and rolled her eyes with a smile. "Come on Bella, you can ride with me and Jeremy down to the Grille. Bye, Alaric," she said as she took Bella's hand and pulled her out of the room. Alaric started to protest but saw that Bella was okay with being tugged along. Jeremy rolled his eyes at his sister and then followed them out.

"Meet you guys there! Don't be late," Elena called behind her as she led the way to her crimson small sized SUV.

Bella wasn't sure what to make of Elena yet, but so far, she was just happy that she was being accepting of her. She was afraid that her intrusion would make others not like her so much. They were finally in the car and headed off toward the Mystic Grille.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

The Mystic Grille was a busy place it seemed like. Bella stepped into the Grille and looked around. There were people playing pool, a bar and several booths that had people of all ages leaned in them talking amongst themselves. For once, Bella walked into a room, and no one stared at her. Back at school, whenever she walked into the classroom, or lunchroom, all eyes went to her. They were eyes that screamed pity and some even seemed like they hated her for some reason. But here, there was no one that looked at her. Elena's hand still held Bella's firmly.

"So, this is the number one place for everyone to hang out. The pool is free as long as a table is free. The bar, well, if you know the bartender…" she winked. "then you can get some drinks that aren't just soda. The food here is greasy, but it's really good. We eat here way too much," she concluded with a laugh.

"Elena!" A bubbly blonde was waving at Elena. A dark-haired boy sat next to her, and across from her sat a darker-skinned girl whose eyes were hazel. Her hair was scrunched up in ebony curls and she had a perfect smile plastered to her face as she looked at Jeremy. Beside her sat another boy with lighter hair and his eyes were darker, but more like a navy blue. Elena's face lit up as she pulled Bella along with her to the table to the sound of her name.

"Hey guys! I want you guys to meet someone. This is Bella," she said introducing Bella and sweeping her free hand over in her direction. Jeremy leaned down and placed his lips to the hazel eyes and she wanted to smile. That was sweet.

"Hello," Bella said with a small lift of her hand.

"Oh! You're the Bella that Ric was talking about. I'm Caroline, this is Tyler, my boyfriend, that is Bonnie, Jeremy's girlfriend, and that is Matt!" Caroline squeaked with excitement. It made Elena laugh a little.

"Calm down Caroline. Bella is Ric's niece. Her and her dad are moving here. Charlie is moving later on. He's a police chief back in…" Elena trailed off.

"Forks," Jeremy finished for her and smiled at Bella.

Matt smiled at Bella. "Welcome to Mystic Falls. Hopefully you'll like it here," he said and then was motioning for Bonnie to slide up so he could get out. She obliged and Jeremy sat down next to her. Matt moved an empty table over to butt up against their table and Tyler had gotten up to help him move in some chairs.

"Thank you, Matt," Bella said quietly. He noticed that she was a bit shy, and he gave her an easy smile. "No problem," he said, and he pulled a chair out for her to sit.

Elena sat down quickly and then there was a waiter coming over. They all ordered food and sodas, and before long Bella found herself feeling more at ease and actually smiling and listening in on the wild stories that they all had to share.

When she glanced up, she saw a boy heading their way. His mahogany hair was tussled on his head and his green eyes glimmered. He wore a worn-out leather jacket and a pair of dark-wash jeans. Elena looked up and beamed at him. "Hey Stefan," she said, and he came to her and leaned in and kissed her softly before sitting down beside her in the empty chair. His green eyes flashed over to Bella and he offered her a smile. "Hi, I'm Stefan," he said and reached across the table to shake her hand. Bella shook his lightly, her white crescent scar tingling at his touch. She pulled her hand back quickly, clearly a little spooked. Stefan frowned slightly but recovered before anyone could notice. He only looked at her quizzically before smiling and turning into the conversation.

_What is he? _She asked herself. She turned on a smile too. She would have to ask him later what that meant. He clearly noticed too.

Soon Alaric and Jenna made their appearance in the Grille. They waved over at Elena and Bella and then went to the bar to sit. Bella smiled at Alaric to let him know that he was okay. He gave her a quick nod and smile before turning his attention to the bartender.

"So, Bella, are you excited?" Caroline's voice broke through to Bella.

"I'm sorry?" Bella said. She didn't quite hear what the conversation was about.

"Are you excited for prom?" Elena relayed again.

Bella looked down at the table at her hands. She didn't really want to go to prom. It wasn't like she had happy memories about dances. "Well, I just got here…" she said softly. She looked away and then her eyes connected with other eyes. Icy blue eyes. Eyes that made her shiver. He was tall, his raven hair fell in light waves around his face. He wore dark clothing, that made him look like the "bad boy" type. His lips turned up in a half smile before he sat next to Alaric and turned his gaze away from hers.

"Caroline, she just got here today. So, I would say she doesn't even know about prom," Matt inserted when he noticed that Bella got nervous.

"Oh right. That makes sense," Caroline said and then her smile was on her face again. "Well, that's okay. It's senior year, and we have to make this the best year ever!" she said, her joy spilling out over the entire table. It had the others shaking their heads and rolling their eyes at their friend. Stefan looked back at Bella. He was interested why she had that scar on her wrist. It worried him. Anyone who had come in contact with Cold Ones and survived was someone worth looking in to.

"I'm sure prom will be great, I probably won't go," Bella murmured, and Caroline gasped in shock.

"Not go to prom?" The blonde was now speechless, which is probably the first time anyone has seen her not speak. She reminded her a lot of Alice. _Alice. _Her heart pained, and she wanted to just curl up into a ball there. Not only had _he _left her, but _he _took his entire family with him, leaving a giant hole in her heart that she just couldn't seem to fix. The thoughts of the Cullen's started a rise of panic in her. She felt herself getting anxious, and she wasn't sure that she could stop it. Suddenly, blue eyes were there at the table. Why was he there? Alaric was there too suddenly. Elena's face looked frightened, worried. She heard the sobs before she registered that they were hers.

"Damon," she heard Alaric warn, but this _Damon _ignored him and suddenly had pulled Bella out of her seat and was carrying her outside. Everyone at the table followed, including Bonnie and Caroline. Alaric went back to the bar to tell Jenna to call Charlie, and he was darting out the door now too.

Suddenly it was black.

When Bella opened her eyes, she saw Alaric looking at her. She blinked a few times trying to register where she was. She was in her room back at Jenna's house. Elena was sitting on the side of the bed and Jeremy and Stefan stood off in the corner. Jenna must have been downstairs because she didn't see her. Caroline and Bonnie were sitting at the foot of the bed. Matt and Tyler were sitting on the window bench. Blue eyes, was standing in the doorway.

"W-what happened?" Bella murmured as she struggled to sit up. She felt weak, and clammy now.

"Bella, you had an attack. Are you okay?" Alaric's voice sounded worried.

"I…sometimes I have panic attacks…but." She shook her head. She looked around the room at all the worried faces. Elena's hand was on Bella's now. She smiled softly at her.

"It's okay. After my parents died, I would have attacks sometimes out of nowhere. It does get easier," she reassured her. Bella smiled at her. "Thank you," she said softly.

"Okay, everyone. Thank you so much for helping and being here for Bella when she woke up, she probably needs some rest now," Alaric said suddenly.

Bella shook her head. "No…no. It's fine. I just…" she looked over at Damon now. His icy eyes stared into hers. He had a frown line on his forehead like he was worried or trying to figure her out somehow. She broke her gaze from his to look around the room and her gaze landed on Caroline finally. "Caroline…you…"

Caroline suddenly looked very worried. "I'm so sorry. It was me wasn't it. I get carried away sometimes, and I don't know how to stop talking a lot, and-"  
"No. It's just. You remind me of my best friend…" Bella murmured.

Alaric leaned down and kissed the top of Bella's head. "I'm going to go call your dad and let him know that you're okay," he said softly and left the room.

"I didn't mean to…" Caroline said quietly.

Bella smiled at her. It was a small smile. "It's okay. It wasn't really you that made me start to panic. I just…started remembering things that I shouldn't, and it overwhelmed me is all. I'm sorr-"

"Never apologize," the voice came from Damon. Everyone's eyes darted over to him. His voice was smooth and rich. "It wasn't a bother, you're not that heavy, and…" he looked at Caroline. "Blondie does overwhelm people sometimes." He finished. He drifted into the room now.

"Damon- "Elena started but Bella cut her off unintentionally.

"Thank you then," she said and looked to Caroline. "It's not your fault and you're not overwhelming," she said as her eyes went back to Damon's. His eyes narrowed a little and then he turned and left the room. Almost like a saunter.

Stefan cleared his throat and stepped forward. "I'm sorry for my brother's abrasiveness. He doesn't have manners."

"He's your brother?" Bella quizzed and when Stefan nodded, she nodded too, understanding somehow.

"Well, now that you're okay, I'm going to go ahead and head out. It was nice meeting you Bella," Tyler said and then moved to Caroline and kissed the top of her head softly before disappearing downstairs. Caroline didn't move from the bed and neither did Bonnie.

"Hey. What if us girls stay the night here. I know we have school in the morning, but we could skip tomorrow." Bonnie suggested.

Before Elena could respond Bella did. "That would be nice," she said quickly. She wanted to take more chances. If she was going to get better, she _needed _these friendships. She had to put _him _and his family behind her. She had to move forward. It has been a long six months. She had to get better. Not only for herself, but for Charlie too. He was trying really hard to make her life better after such a devastation.

Elena smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "Sounds great. We'll have a slumber party and skip school tomorrow. Doing what teenagers do."

Alaric was in the doorway now. "You're lucky that I'm not a teacher right now and just Ric." He said with a laugh.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Still, if you were in teacher mode, you wouldn't care anyways," she called him out. He only shrugged and left the room again.

"That's our queue to leave," Jeremy said and was leaving the room with Matt and Stefan in tow.

Bella watched them leave. Stefan cast a glance over at her one last time before leaving the room to the girls.

"Thank you," Bella said simply before the girls started rushing between the two rooms and gathering slumber party stuff.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's note: Thank you LunaM303 for commenting! Lazygirl89, I can't say for sure if I want to pair Damon and Bella. It's open to many possibilities at this point. I have an idea of how I want it to go, but right now, I'm just playing with them. Let me know if you have any suggestions!**_

Sleep came fast for the girls. Bella and Elena lay facing each other on the bed with Caroline and Bonnie laid across the foot of the bed over Bella and Elena's feet. They had all been up late talking about Mystic Falls High School, and Bella had listened to Caroline speak, rapidly, about the ins and outs of the school. Bella offered small smiles and nods and hardly spoke, but that was okay. She enjoyed listening to the others talk about everything.

Bonnie painted Bella's toenails for her, an electric blue. It made Bella feel better, and eventually they all had succumbed to sleep.

_I promise that this will be the last time you'll see me. I won't come back. I won't put you through anything like this again. You can go on with your life without any more interference from me…It will be as if I'd never existed… _

_Edward…no…_

Bella began to toss in her sleep. Her face pained from her nightmare. Elena felt Bella shifting on the bed and Caroline sprung awake with Bonnie sitting up abruptly too. Bella's painful groans made Elena reach out and try to lightly shake Bella.

"Bella, you're dreaming, come on Bella wake up," Elena said gently, but it was no use. Bella started to thrash now, sending Caroline and Bonnie to a standing position now next to the bed.

"No…. No!" Bella groaned out in anguish, still asleep.

Her nightmare shifts and she's in the old ballet studio now. She hears her mother's voice and she rushed towards the sound. James laughter snaps Bella's attention to him. It was only a tape. A recording of her mother's voice. Her mom is safe and sound.

"_Oh, still stubborn, are we? Is that what makes you so special to Edward?" James eyes are dark, almost like pitch as he lunges for Bella. _

Bella starts screaming now in her sleep, and it has Elena violently shaking her now and yelling her name. "Bella!" Caroline and Bonnie are trying to help Elena shake her awake when Alaric runs into the room, witnessing Bella twist in the bed like she's in pain. Suddenly Bella's eyes fly open and she's sitting up abruptly in bed. She's panting and sweat has beaded her forehead. Her eyes are wild and confused at first. She had to remember where she was. She wasn't home in Forks; she was in Mystic Falls now.

Just then Jeanne and Jeremy were running into the room.

"Bella!" Jenna said as she flung herself to Bella on the bed. Bella caught Jenna awkwardly as she looked around the room. She was now embarrassed that she had woke the entire house up with her nightmare. It was always the same nightmare.

"I-I'm so sorry," Bella stammered as Jenna pulled back and looked at Bella. Her hands were on Bella's face and looking at her with a worried look.

"Hey, it's okay," Bonnie said and sat on the bed now, running a hand down her arm. "We couldn't get you to wake up," she said, and Caroline sat down now too.

"Are you okay Bella?" Jeremy asked with a shaky breath. When he heard Bella screaming like that, he thought that someone had gotten in the house somehow and she was in danger. He had forgotten that Alaric had told them about her nightmares.

"I'm fine Jeremy, I'm really sorry for disturbing everyone," Bella muttered and pulled her knees up to her chest.

Alaric leaned down on the bed, pulling Jenna away now. "Hey kiddo, it's okay. Nightmares are called nightmares for a reason. Do you want to talk about it?"

Bella looked around the room at her uncle, and her new friends. She smiled a small smile. "Maybe not tonight, thank you," she said quietly. He only nodded and stood and put a hand on Jenna and Jeremy's arm. "Okay. Well, try to lay back down and get some rest," he said before dragging Jenna and Jeremy out of the room.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Caroline asked, her blue eyes searched Bella's and Bella nodded. "Yes, I'm sure I'm fine. I have nightmares a lot. I really am sorry," she apologized again.

Elena pulled Bella against her side now and hugged her. Bonnie put her arms around Bella, and Caroline followed suit. Bella felt comforted and then the tears softly fell from her face. She didn't know why she couldn't keep them from falling, but here she sat, with three new friends embracing her, giving her support and love, and she didn't know what to say or feel. When she felt Caroline's embrace though, her white crescent scar tingled. Caroline didn't seem to notice, and this confused Bella. She reached a hand up and wiped away the tears.

"Thank you," she said softly. She laid back down on the bed with Elena and Bonnie on both sides of her. They still kept their arms wrapped around her, as Caroline sat at the end of the bed looking at them. Her eyes met Elena's. Caroline seemed to be worried deeply about Bella. She had felt the tingling when she hugged her, and she wondered what this meant. She watched as her friends fell asleep. When they were out for sure, Caroline stood and went to the window. She pulled out her cellphone and texted Stefan about the tingling she felt when she hugged Bella.

_I felt it too. _He sent back quickly. This only confused Caroline more. She decided that she would get Stefan alone tomorrow and talk to him about this new discovery. For now, she would curl up on the bed with the other three and try to get some sleep.

When daylight peeked through the windows, it was quiet in the house. Bella didn't fall back into a nightmare trap, but that didn't mean she didn't feel exhausted when she woke up. The other girls were still sleeping, holding her tight. She didn't want to move in fear of waking them up, but she really had to get up to go pee. She tried to wiggle out of their hold gently, but that didn't work, and Bonnie and Elena started moving around. They realized that Bella was awake and released their hold on Bella. Bonnie moved and bumped Caroline, sending Caroline into the floor.

"Ah!" Caroline said as she hit the ground. Her hair fluffed around her in her face, and it had Bonnie giggling. Bella giggled too as she leapt out of the bed now and darted into the bathroom.

"Bonnie!" Caroline whined and Elena busted out laughing.

When Bella returned to the room, Caroline was sitting up on the bed now. Her and Elena were talking quietly, and Bonnie was heading out of the room, bumping into Bella. "Oh! Sorry," Bonnie laughed. "I was going to go uh…check on Jeremy," she said, heat rising to her face. Bella only smiled and stepped aside. "It's cool. Thank you for last night," she murmured quietly. Bonnie gave her a gently squeeze on her arm, and then walked down the hall quietly to Jeremy's room.

"So, what's the plan today?" Bella asked as she plopped down on the bed.

Caroline's phone started ringing and so she got up to answer it, offering Bella a smile and held up a finger as to tell her one second. She shifted over to the window to talk on her phone.

"Well, I was thinking we could just go into town and just do some light shopping or something like that," Elena offered. "I mean, you don't have a lot of clothes." She inserted quickly.

Bella wrinkled her nose. She really didn't like shopping. "Well, I have to call Charlie this morning, and let him know that I'm really okay and to just check in. Can I borrow a phone?"

"You don't have a cellphone?" Elena quizzed, raising a brow. Bella shook her head. Elena smiled and reached over to the nightstand and grabbed her cellphone and handed it to Bella. "Here you go. We're definitely going shopping and getting you a phone. Alaric will have to come with," she said and bounced out of bed.

Caroline finished her phone call. "Sorry, it was mom. She got home late from her shift and wanted to check in with me." She said and stretched her arms above her head. "So, shopping sounds nice," she said and quickly went to Bella's closet and looked through her clothes.

"I'm not going to get out of this shopping thing, am I?" Bella asked Elena. Elena smiled and shook her head.

"Bella! You don't have any girlie clothes. Everything is jeans and shirts." Caroline complained.

Bella looked to Elena and then over at Caroline, who was emerging from the closet now. "Elena, she's going to have to borrow a top, jeans will do, oh and that cute pair of white wedges you have. I can make that work," Caroline said quickly before dashing back into the closet.

Before Bella could protest Elena left to her room to gather the items Caroline demanded. Bella sighed and looked down at the cellphone. She dialed Charlie's number and hugged her knees up to her chest. He answered on the second ring.

"Chief Swan," he said gruffly, and sleepily. Bella forgot about the time zone difference.

"Dad, it's Bella, I'm using Elena's phone to call you," she said. "I'm sorry I woke you. I forgot about the time difference. It's six in the morning there isn't it?"

"Hey Bells," his voice was softer now. "It's okay. I'll have to save Elena's number in my phone, so I know who's calling. How are you? I heard you had an attack yesterday, and a nightmare."

Bella sighed. "I'm fine. I'm getting better, I promise. I didn't mean to worry anyone," she said quietly. Elena came into the room now and moved to the closet to Caroline, not wanting to interrupt Bella's conversation with her dad.

"Well, I love you Bells. They're talking about the Chief election in a couple weeks, so we'll see how that turns out. I figured Ryan would step in as interim, but you know how he is, so I'm stuck for a bit." He said with regret in his voice.

Bella smiled. "It's okay dad. I'm going into town with the girls today…to shop…" she shuddered, and she heard her dad chuckle.

"I put money in your account Bells, so you just have fun, and don't stress or worry about anything, Love you." He said, with a yawn.

Bella smiled. "Love you too dad. Go back to sleep. I'll call you tomorrow," she said and hung up with her dad. She took a breath and then got up off the bed as Elena and Caroline came out of the closet with clothes in hand.

Bella hated wearing anything with remotely any heel, and she complained about it to both Caroline and Elena, but they fussed over her. They curled her hair at the bottom and applied some smokey-eye makeup to her as well. She hated being primped up like this, but she let them dress her up like a little doll. Instead of jeans, they forced her into a ruffled white skirt that came down to her ankle, and the navy-blue blouse seemed to fit her perfectly, only showing a little of her bellybutton when she raised an arm up. The coat that Elena let her borrow flowed to her ankles. She wore some warm leggings under the skirt to keep her legs warm from the winds. It was February, and some snow was still on the ground outside. It was supposed to snow later on, the weatherman had said, so they had to be prepared. She didn't own a purse, so Elena graciously let her use one of hers. They headed into town after grabbing a couple bagels from Jenna and they darted out the door. Bonnie promised Jeremy that they would meet up later since he had to go to school.

They weaved in and out of stores buying all kinds of things that Bella really didn't need. Makeup, shoes, curling iron, a straightener, bras, panties, the whole works. Bella's head was starting to spin with all the stuff that they were loading down in Elena's small sized SUV. Alaric met them at the phone store, and he got her a new phone. It wasn't like she disliked technology, it was just that her last phone, sort of bit the dust after a little incident. She just never replaced it. She texted her dad her new number, and after a few thoughts, she text Jake too.

They made it to the Grille for lunch and they all plopped down in a booth. "I'm actually pretty happy we did this," Bella said after the waiter brought them their sodas. "I really don't like shopping, but I think that I could get used to it with you Caroline," Bella said. She really didn't like shopping, but she could appreciate all the effort that Caroline, Elena, and Bonnie put into it today. She wanted to make this work and keep these friends.

"Awwwww, Bella!" Caroline said, grinning really big.

Suddenly, Damon walked into the Grille. Elena saw him saunter over and she rolled her eyes as she took a long drink from her soda in front of her. Caroline didn't seem to be as bothered by Damon, like Bonnie and Elena did, Bella noted.

"Ladies," he said and winked at Bella before moving to the bar.

Bella watched him walk to the bar and she couldn't help but be intrigued by him. He was definitely a peculiar character.

Stefan walked in not long after Damon and smiled to Elena as he walked over. "Hey guys," he said and drug a chair over to the booth.

"Aren't you supposed to be in class?" Elena raised a brow.

"Well, you see, I decided to ditch after lunch period," he said with a white grin.

Bella smiled to Stefan as their eyes met. Suddenly she saw his eyes change, almost like an alert. His smile stayed on his face, but his eyes said something differently. She wasn't sure why the sudden change happened, but it made him tense up. She glanced away, and saw Damon getting up from the bar as well and heading towards the entrance. She smiled to Elena who was talking to Bonnie about something and moved to get out. Elena let her out, looking to Stefan and saw Damon moving through the Grille. She wanted to stop Bella from going to Damon, but Stefan placed a hand on Bella's to stop her.

"I'll just be right back," Bella murmured to Elena with a smile and turned to follow Damon. After a few moments Stefan was behind her.

"Bella," he said lowly. "I don't think you should go outside," he put a hand on her shoulder and the tingling shot through her and him. He didn't move his hand this time, and neither did she shrug his hand away.

"I'll just be a moment," she said and then moved away from him. She walked to the entrance and noticed how the clouds had shifted outside to be overcast. She knew it was supposed to snow today. Damon was standing just outside the entrance looking at something or someone.

"Damon?" Bella said as she came to stand next to him. She followed his gaze and the shock went through her and chilled her more than the winter air.

"It can't be…" Bella murmured. Damon's hand reached out to Bella to steady her.

"What are you doing here?" Damon's voice called.

Bella's thoughts were raging around in her head. Why? What did this mean now that…? blackness overtook her suddenly as the attack ripped through her body suddenly.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you LunaM303 for your comment! Cliffhangers are so great, and so terrible at the same time! I promise it gets better. **_____

Bella hit Stefan's chest with a thud. Stefan's arms snaked out and caught her before she hit the ground. Damon's eyes narrowed and focused on the Cold One in front of him. Stefan looked at his brother's back once before swooping Bella up into his arms easily. "Damon, I'm getting her out of here," he stated and left before Damon could even respond. He carried her tightly against him to his car, which was parked behind the Grille. The wind was picking up now as the clouds got ready to birth the snow. He lay her down gently in his back seat and shut the door. He quickly shot a text to Elena letting her know what was happening and to stay in the Grille until Damon came in and gave the all clear.

"_What! Is Bella okay?"_ Elena's text was quick, and Stefan could even hear Elena's panicked heartbeat now.

"_She's unconscious. I'm taking her back to the boarding house." _He responded and then turned the car on and raced back towards the boarding house, leaving his brother there to deal with the stormy scene in front of Mystic Grille.

Caroline calmed Elena. "I'm going outside with Damon. I need you two to stay right here until I or Damon get back. I know Bonnie," she said before Bonnie could say anything. "I'm going to see what or who is outside. They're not a vampire I don't think," she said simply and left her two friends in the booth. She could hear both of their hearts racing, and she sighed once before walking outside with Damon. She needed to see what made Bella have another attack.

"I'm not sure who you are, but apparently Bella does." Damon said to the Cold One. His dark dreads hung low down his back. He was dressed handsomely, and his dark skin had a pale glow. His bright crimson eyes showed that his meals were usually human.

"Ah, yes. Sweet Bella. I remember her. In fact, I had to track her all the way here," the voice was smooth, rich and had a bit of an accent to it. Damon placed it somewhere from New Orleans perhaps.

"Why are you tracking her?" Caroline's voice rang out this time. She wasn't sure what kind of creature this was. He smelled sickly sweet and his eyes didn't look human. Her fists clenched at her sides, and she looked to Damon, who was standing tensely staring the creature down. His blue eyes were raging with a hot fire that made Caroline want to shiver and recoil. It was the angriest she had ever seen Damon so far, and she has seen him angry.

Damon tightened his stance as he sensed the other Cold One. Her scent filled the air and the wind picked it up and slapped him in the face with it. She was pale, almost as white as the glassy part of her crimson eyes. Her hair was like an untamed wildfire and it whipped around her face as the wind picked up more. She stood beside the other Cold One now, a playful smile bright on her face. Damon didn't like that there were two of them now. He hadn't fought a Cold One since the Southern vampire wars, and he didn't particularly care to fight one now right out in public like this.

"It seems that Bella isn't here now Laurent," the fiery red head said. Her voice was like a bell, sounding out and clashing with the wind. "Let's leave them be," she said with a quick grin. "For now."

Laurent's eyes were light now, he looked from Caroline to Damon. "Please tell Bella…that Laurent and Victoria are looking for her. We mean her no harm," he lied and flashed a bright, white smile, showing off his perfect teeth. And then that was it. They disappeared almost as quickly as they appeared.

Damon's shoulders eased down and he turned to Caroline now. "Get Elena and Bonnie and get to the boarding house. Do it quickly, and do not, and I repeat do not, tell them anything until you get there. Do you understand Blondie?" Under normal circumstances, Caroline would scoff at Damon, but his eyes looked dangerously serious now and she only nodded and darted back inside the Grille to get Bonnie and Elena. Damon got into his own car and sped away to the boarding house to prepare for something, he feared, could bring a war. Bella had a lot of explaining to do when she woke up.

At the boarding house, Stefan lay Bella on the couch in what was the parlor. He threw wood in the fireplace and started the fire. It was a bit cold in there, and he knew that Bella, being human, she would chill easier. He took a seat in the armchair next to the couch and looked over at her. Her breathing was regular, and he could hear that her heartbeat was steady. It hadn't been before she collapsed. He stared at her sleeping face and let his curious mind try to figure her out.

Bella started to stir now, but Stefan continued to sit there. Her dark lashes fluttered open and she looked around the dim lit room. Everything was a darker cherry furniture, and antiques by the looks of it. It was warm in the room she was in, and she could hear the crackling of a fire. She looked around until her eyes rested on Stefan's green ones. She struggled to sit up, so Stefan stood now and went to help her up. His hands were gentle on her as he helped to pull her in a sitting position.

"Where am I?" Bella managed after she shrugged out of the thick jacket Elena had lent her.

"We're at my house," Stefan said simply. He took Bella's jacket and crossed the room and hung it on a hook before returning to where she was sitting. "You passed out," he said when the confusion in her eyes still didn't leave.

Bella looked over at the fireplace now and hugged her arms tightly across her chest. "Oh…. I'm sorry," she muttered, barely audible.

"No need to apologize Bella," he said and then looked towards Damon who was entering the house now and storming into the parlor quickly. His eyes were still a raging blue fire, and his eyes, were on Bella.

"Explain," Damon barked. It made Bella flinch and made her skin go pale.

"Damon," Stefan said but Bella shook her head. "I suppose I do owe you guys an explanation. I have panic attacks sometimes…and that man. Laurent…well I thought he was dead, so it was a shock to see him is all," she said quietly.

Damon studied her intently, the fire still burning in his eyes. He looked down at her wrist that held the white crescent scar and made a 'hmph' sound. He turned and stalked over to a cabinet. He pulled out a brandy decanter and a short glass and poured some of the honey colored liquid into it. He drank it fast, and then poured another and brought it over to her and handed it to her.

"Okay. Drink," he ordered again, and she took the glass hesitantly with both hands and sipped it. She didn't like the burn as it slid down into her throat, creating a warming sensation in her belly.

Stefan was watching her intently now, watching for any sign of distress, but her face was blank. Her heartbeat was erratic now as her nerves started to jump around inside. "Bella, it's okay. Calm down," he said and lay a gentle hand on her arm. She flinched away from him now as her scar tingled. "I…I'm sorry," she said and looked up at Damon, who was still studying her, the fire in his eyes was dwindling down now. His rage was simmering still, but he was controlling it.

Damon cleared his throat and crossed his arms across his chest now. "I'm only going to ask this once. I will not repeat myself, but I need to know in order to figure out the rest of this…. matter," he said finally.

Bella's dark eyes looked to Stefan and saw him nod slightly and then she looked to Damon. "What do you want to know?"

Just then Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie burst into the parlor and Elena was running to Bella and pulling her up into her arms and hugging her tightly. "Oh Bella, thank goodness you're okay."

Bella was stunned. Bonnie and Caroline let Elena fret over Bella and were silent. Caroline met Stefan's gaze, a frown on her face, and the little crease formed on her brows as she was severely worried about the people looking for Bella.

Bella pulled back from Elena slightly and Elena let her go. Bella's glass with brandy was in Stefan's hands somehow, so Bella reached over, and Stefan handed it to her. Bella took her place back on the couch and took a larger drink this time.

"What happened?" Elena's voice was soft and gentle as she sat next to Bella on the couch.

"I…" Bella began and looked to Damon now. Damon was still studying her. He didn't even move or flinch as the other girls barreled into the room. His eyes just bore into hers. She was mesmerized by the color, the structure of his face, the way his raven hair flowed against such flawless skin. Then there was a knocking sound at the front door. Damon sighed, and saw Stefan tense up. "Calm down brother," he said and moved to the front door and opened it.

"Major. Fancy seeing you here. I figured you would be coming around," Damon said with a dangerous smile on his face. The small, dark headed, pixie of a girl that stood next to this "Major" flitted into the house without a word and was in the parlor and had Bella in a tight embrace before anyone could see what exactly happened, including Bella.

Stefan jumped up in defense and went to pull the two apart, but Alice's sharp look had him stopping suddenly. A growl sounded in Caroline's throat, but Damon cleared his throat loudly before blood could be shed.

Bella stood there in shock. This cold, marble character was…_Alice_. Bella's body trembled slightly and then she was hugging Alice back, sobs retching from her body loudly as her legs started to buckle. Alice went to the floor with her. Elena looked over at Damon standing there now with a blonde hair man, whose hair was in waves, caressing his face. His eyes were a bright topaz and he stood rigid, his back straight and his arms clasped behind him. He dressed in dark layers, and there was still some snowflakes dusted in his hair. His skin glowed so white, it looked like it could possibly match the snow.

"Shhh…Bella," Alice spoke and stroked her hair. Alice's voice was light and airy with an edge of calm. "Bella."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but who?" Stefan said and Alice's gaze met Stefan's, her eyes dancing over him and then landing over on Damon.

Damon spoke up. "Meet someone very important to Bella. Alice Cullen. This is the Major," Damon motioned a hand to the blonde man.

"Salvatore, no one calls me that anymore. I'm Jasper Hale, nice to meet your acquaintance." His thick, south Texan drawl was undeniable. Bella's eyes flashed up to Jasper's. Tears still streaming down her face, she pulled herself from Alice suddenly and somehow found the strength and she ran towards Jasper. Her arms flung around him and her body collided with his. Jasper let the impact push him back and then his arms were wound around her steadying her to him. He had a quick look of shock on his face before his arms gripped her tightly in the embrace. Her legs were hung around him too he suddenly noticed, but not because she was heavy. He realized she was incredibly thin.

Damon tensed as Bella flung herself at the Major and Stefan seen the tension and started forward too along with Caroline and the other girls.

Bella was still crying her head buried in his cold, hard shoulder. Alice was grinning widely as she flitted over to the two.

"Bella, it's okay," Alice's calming voice called and then Bella felt all calm inside. Jasper was using his gift to calm her down. He let her slide down him slowly and her feet set on the floor. She felt almost a dizzy drunk as she looked between Alice and Jasper.

"Okay, so Bella, I'm really going to need you to explain," Elena said as she watched the shocking scene unfold in front of her.

Bella wiped her face and smiled at Jasper and Alice, who returned the smile. Jasper's was a little tight, but that wasn't unusual for him.

Damon let the tension relax a little when the Major didn't make any move or look like he was about to kill anyone.

Bella went back to the couch and sat, grabbing the brandy from the side table and she drank it all down in one drink. The burn felt good now, and so she looked around the room at everyone again. The confusing and worried eyes staring at her to begin her story.

"Well, I'm not really sure where to begin," she said and looked to Alice and Jasper.

"We're vampires," Alice said simply, and Bella's mouth dropped open in shock as she made that announcement.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

"Vampires?" Elena said slowly and looked from Damon to Jasper and then from Stefan to Alice and then to Caroline. She was comparing the appearances. Alice flitted over to Elena and Stefan stood defensive. Alice reached out a hand and touched Elena's hand gently. The cold sent a shiver through Elena.

"Yes, Vampires. We're called Cold Ones in many circles." Alice explained. Bella regained her composure by this point. "Alice isn't it a secret?" she said in a low voice.

"It's not much of a secret to Damon," Jasper spoke up. "I fought along side Damon many times in the past," he said matter of fact.

Bella looked at Damon now. She was confused. Her heart was thumping hard in her chest, threatening to burst open. She took a few breaths and Damon walked lazily over to her and reached up and tucked a strand of her lose hair, behind her ear, his warm fingers brushing her gently. His eyes narrowed a little as he looked into her chocolate eyes. "Well, I am a vampire after all," he stated, and his lips turned up in a little half grin.

Stefan sighed now and put a hand over his face. His brother was always theatrical about things. Jasper actually grinned over where he stood, and Alice was now sitting in on the couch in front of the fire.

"So, there are…two types of vampires?" Bonnie said now. This was news to her, but she supposed she had seen somewhere in a grimoire something about Cold Ones now that she thinks about it.

"That would be correct ma'am." Jasper drawled and walked over to the group now. He looked to Elena, who was just standing there quiet staring at him. He smiled a tight smile to her and gave her a nod. "I apologize if I make you feel uncomfortable," he said to her and she shook her head.

"I'm just trying to wrap my brain around it is all," Elena murmured. Caroline had her arms across her chest and tapping her foot out of nervousness now. She was normally so bubbly and talkative, but at this moment she wasn't sure what to make of it all. Bella's eyes were locked on Damon's still. She was trying to make herself speak now, but she wasn't sure what she could really say. Her thoughts were still going wild. _Why was Laurent back? Wasn't he dead? _

Those thoughts broke her away from Damon's gaze now as she reached in her back pocket and pulled out her phone and called Jake instead of texting him. He answered immediately.

"Bells?" Jake's deep voice sounded over the phone.

"Jake. I need to know what happened to Laurent when you and Sam's crew ran after him that one day in the meadow." She said quickly into the phone. Her heart was thudding so hard that she was sure that every vampire in the room could hear her nerves even though she was trying hard to stay calm.

"Well, we chased him into the mountains and we almost snatched him up before he lost us in the trees. Embry and Paul were real torn up about it too," he recalled. "Why?"

Bella stopped breathing and if her heart could, it probably would have too. "So, you didn't kill him?"

This conversation was intriguing Damon. Who was Jake and why hadn't he killed this mysterious Cold One? He looked over to Alice and Jasper who had pained expressions and Alice even looked extremely worried. Her gaze shifted over to Damon. "Laurent was here." She said without asking the question. "I knew I saw him…" she whispered, only vampires would be able to hear her words.

Bella sighed, taking in a breath now after the long pause. "He found me," Bella said and then she heard Jake yell out a string of curses. "How did he find you! That fucking bloodsucker," he roared and then the phone went dead. She was almost positive he broke his phone.

"So teensy little problem," Damon said and then moved to the liquor cabinet again. "You see, this Laurent character was here. He's not dead, but he had another companion with him. A Victoria, red hair, high pitched voice, seems vicious, but dainty at the same time."

Alice and Jasper shot up now. "What!?" they both said in unison, and then Bella was wavering now. The room seemed to be spinning for her. Stefan saw her sway and was up catching her against him as she started to fall.

"I'm okay," Bella muttered. She hadn't lost consciousness this time. Victoria was after her still. Why? Ed-_he _wasn't here. She wasn't there. How had they found her?

Stefan wasn't so sure that she was actually okay, but Bella pushed away from him anyways. She didn't like the tingling his hands made her scar feel. She didn't like being that close to him, especially with Elena standing there watching her. She knew that Stefan was just being caring, but it was just too…. intimate for her. She hardly knew any of them. Jasper walked over to her now, his cool hands found her shoulders and he steadied her. His topaz eyes looked into hers.

"Bella. We won't let Victoria or Laurent get to you. That's why me and Alice are here you see," he said softly and then she folded into a hug. Her eyes shut tightly as he sent calming emotions through her. She felt light again, almost drunk and she was thankful for Jasper. She hurt the most when they all left because of Jasper and Alice. Jasper, she wasn't particularly super close to, but she knew that he had to feel really bad for the incident on her birthday.

"Jasper…I don't hate you…you know my birthday," she muttered. He sighed into her hair and looked to Alice. He knew that it wasn't time to tell her what really happened, but he could stand to accept this for now. "Thank you, Bella."

"How did you find Bella?" Damon asked now watching Jasper hold Bella made him feel…weird.

"Well, I called Charlie," Alice began. "When Bella's future disappeared from my visions, I had to call and check on her. When Charlie said that Bella moved here, and he made me swear not to tell anyone else, we came. We followed her scent to here. I wasn't sure what was happening, and I wanted to make sure Bella was okay," she finished.

"After leaving her alone for how many months?" Elena said now, a little sharp. Alice's eyes drifted to the floor. "We didn't know…" Alice said softly. "We…didn't have the full story…" she said, and Bella moved from Jasper to Alice now and hugged her. She just didn't want to let go in fear that they would disappear again.

"Now that you're here…you can't leave again. I won't let you," Bella said, tears filling her eyes. Damon was there now, a hand on her shoulder. He looked sharply at Alice and Alice only smiled to Bella. Damon spoke now, his voice trying to stay calm. "Sit down Bella. You're going to fall over," and Bella complied. He went and got another brandy for her. He was still curious about her scar on her wrist. He knew it was from a Cold One, and the fact that she survived is unheard of.

"So now that you're here, and we know that dreadlocks and curly are here to collect Bella in a way, what are our plans?" Damon said as he poured himself some brandy. He didn't offer any to anyone else because, well, they could get some if they wanted. Bonnie's phone rang, startling Bella and Elena. "Oh, it's Jer," she said and disappeared to take the call. Elena sat next to Bella again and put an arm around her shoulders. The alcohol was making Bella's cheeks turn pink, and soon, she would be asleep from the intake.

"I'm not sure what we can do…" Bella said, slurring a bit. Damon and Jasper were looking at each other silently before Jasper spoke again. "Continue going on with normal routine. We'll make sure Laurent and Victoria don't get too close. I'm assuming Stefan is the little brother you've spoke about Salvatore," Jasper said, and Damon nodded. "I'm also going to assume that you go to high school with Elena and the others." Stefan gave him a quick nod. Jasper nodded in return looking to Alice.

"Jeremy, Matt, and Tyler are heading over," Bonnie said as she emerged, and she emerged with her grimoire. She laid it on the table and hunkered over it, reading it intently.

"Is there some sort of spell in there witchy woo that can banish Cold Ones or something?" Damon said with a half laugh.

Bonnie paid Damon no mind as she flipped through a few pages and was mumbling as she read. Jasper and Alice were leaned in now, interested in what exactly Bonnie was looking for.

"I knew I read something somewhere, but I didn't quite get it I suppose without the context now," she said and stood, holding the book. She looked to Alice. "I need your ring. The one on your thumb," she said quickly, and Alice slipped it off and handed it to her without hesitation. "It's real silver right," Bonnie asked, and Alice nodded.

"Adiuro anulum ex frigore morsque iam non ambuletis!" Bonnie called as she stood close to the fire and then tossed it in. Alice watched with such wonder and Jasper looked on, curious as to what was happening. After a few moments, Bonnie murmured something and reached in and grabbed the ring carefully, without burning. The ring gleamed silver still, but a stone sat, embedded into the band, a fiery, swirling amber. She handed it to Alice, and she slipped it on her thumb again.

The transformation that happened was so sudden that it had everyone looking at Alice in such shock.

"What?" Alice asked as she looked around the room. She did feel…a bit different, but why was everyone looking at her so weirdly.

"Alice…" Jasper murmured, he stepped forward and walked around her now, looking her over. Alice looked down at her hands and saw that she wasn't paper white anymore. She gasped and then flitted out of the room and looked in a mirror in the powder room. Her eyes were now a deep chocolate brown and her face looked tanner. Bella followed her to the powder room in awe. She reached out and touched Alice's face. She felt warm.

"You're not…cold…" Bella whispered, and Alice's hands flew to her face and she gasped.

"What did you do?" Jasper asked as he looked at Bonnie with such a confusing look.

"The spell works the same way as the daylight ring does for Damon, Caroline, and Stefan. It protects them from the sun. I make those rings differently than the one I just did for Alice, but she should be able to walk around without drawing too much attention to herself. I read in the grimoire that you guys look like diamonds in the sun, so that too should not be a problem now," Bonnie explained.

Bella and Alice rejoined everyone, and Alice was just beaming. "Look Jazzy, I'm normal!" She flitted around the room in a hyper state and it had Bella chuckling and actually smiling really big. Damon watched as she light reached her eyes for the first time since meeting her.

Bonnie looked to Jasper and motioned to his hand. His silver band was on his left hand on the middle finger. He slipped it off and handed it to Bonnie. She repeated the spell and handed the band back to Jasper. His too, had a stone embedded in it. He slipped it back on his hand and he transformed in front of everyone. His eyes were brown too, albeit lighter than Bella and Alice's, more like a deep amber. Alice gasped as she looked at Jasper.

"You're beautiful," Caroline said in shock. Jasper smiled at her and Elena raised a brow. Caroline shook her head smiled. "I'm sorry, it was just so…mesmerizing to watch."

"Okay, so everyone's normal. Yippee. Now what? Was that part of this plan of going on completely ignoring double trouble hanging around all doomsday like?" Damon spoke up. Stefan was thinking the same thing.

"Now there's more people that can guard Bella while at school," Alice's musical voice sang. "We can fit in better now that we look like you guys."

Bonnie and Elena agreed. "Yes, that does make this easier."

Tyler, Matt, and Jeremy walked into the parlor now stopping when they see Alice and Jasper. "Uh, hi?" Jeremy said as he looked at Elena and then at Bella.

"This is Alice Cullen and Jasper Hale," Bella said. "My sister and brother." She said with a warm smile. Jasper looked back at Bella and smiled. If he had a heart, it would be fluttering now. He was happy that she did care about him still, even after everything.

Tyler nodded. "Uh huh. So, I'm assuming that the cat's out of the bag?" Elena and Caroline nodded. "Cool, so I'm a hybrid." He stated and then Bella was looking at him strange. "A hybrid of what?"

"Like werewolf-vampire?" He said. "I thought you said the cat is out of the bag?" He looked to Caroline.

"Well, we didn't tell her about you, we sort of…got caught up in something else," she said as she looked at Alice and Jasper.

"Ah, so a werewolf like my best friend," Bella said, understanding.

"Your best friend is a werewolf?" Elena stammered in shock. Bella was a magnet for supernatural like her apparently.

Jasper tilted his head. "Well. Not exactly. I believe your kind, I'm assuming Lockwood since this is Mystic Falls, actually turns on a full moon, and if the legend is real, then you being a hybrid means…" his eyes darted to Damon now.

"Yup. That happened. Major, you've been away for a long time," Damon said and sighed, sounding bored now with everything.

"Well, since I'm part vampire now, I don't have to change every full moon. So, your best friend is a werewolf too?" Tyler sat on the arm of the chair Stefan was sitting in and looked to Bella with new interest.

Jasper spoke up again. "Not really. He's not a werewolf. He's actually a shapeshifter. While the legend here is different, Jake's legend is vastly different. His tribe has a long history, way too long to explain, but the short story is, if it's in the blood, and Cold Ones get near, the members of the tribe, after puberty, start changing into giant wolves. They're way bigger than you could ever imagine of being," Jasper said and helped himself to the liquor cabinet now.

Tyler nodded. "That's really…interesting."

"So, Bella, Alice and Jasper are vampires too?" Matt said suddenly. Everyone had forgotten about poor Matt. Bella smiled and nodded. "Yes, different types of vampires, but they are vampires."

"Great…more of them," he muttered and sighed.

"While I love having a bunch of teens standing around in my parlor, I do believe that it is getting rather crowded in here. Major, pixie you guys can stay in one of the guest rooms here since I'm assuming it's too crowded at Elena's." Damon spoke up.

"You're right," Elena said and stood up and went to grab her coat. "I'm going to go ahead and head home with Jeremy. I have to talk to Alaric now," she said, and Bella looked nervous. "You mean, Uncle Ric…knows about all of…this?" She motioned with her hands.

"Yup. He's a vampire hunter so to speak," Elena answered, and Alice and Jasper looked nervous. "He's sort of retired, so don't worry." She smiled as they relaxed now.

"Well, I'm going to go start my shift at the Grille," Matt said and took his leave, he had only come along to check to make sure Bella was okay. Now that she saw that she was fine, he needed to get back to normal human things. He waved at them all and disappeared into the snow filled air. Tyler took his leave as well, dragging Caroline with him. Bella sat on the couch now with Alice and Jasper. Stefan and Damon left them to be alone for a while.

When they were out of the room, Stefan looked at his brother. "I didn't know you fought in a vampire war." Damon rolled his eyes. "There's a lot about me you don't know about little brother." He said and disappeared off to his bedroom. Stefan stood there, waiting, listening to Bella's heartbeat, which was steady and calm now. He then left up the stairs to his attic room to give them some privacy.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you Sandra and JynxxD for your comments! I'm actually just playing around with different characters. There are several possibilities at the moment in time. Bella is an intriguing character, and I'm hoping that I can expand more relationships than just her. My favorite Twilight character is Jasper and my favorite Vampire Diaries character is Damon. From Originals it's a tie between NiKlaus and Elijah. So, I'm looking forward to having some fun, and hopefully everyone loves the fun too. **___

The next week was a blur to Bella. Going back to school was something that she really wasn't looking forward to, but she was happy that Alice and Jasper were back in her life. Alaric wasn't too happy about the situation, but he had to be accepting because Alice and Jasper were there to help protect her. She had spoke to her dad a few times since the Laurent and Victoria incident. He knew that Jasper and Alice were in Mystic Falls, and he was happy that Alice had come back into her life. Apparently, Alice had spun the story that Carlisle and Esme were letting them study there because they wanted to be closer to Bella. School was almost over anyways. He knew that they were staying in the boarding house with Stefan and Damon.

It was Friday now, and Bella's last class of the day was Chemistry and she couldn't wait for it to finally be over. Alaric was taking her to look at some cars because she didn't want to depend on Elena and Stefan all the time. Stefan was growing on her. She wasn't sure what to think about him just quite yet. He was super nice and friendly, and while she appreciated how accepting he was, it just made her feel uncomfortable at how he looked at her. Like she was going to fall apart at any moment. To be fair, she did have a few episodes. Her nightmares were still coming frequently, and she didn't know how to make them stop. Bonnie was looking into some charms that she could make for her that could help deter the nightmares so she wouldn't be waking up the entire house every single night.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the final bell. "Bella," Stefan lay a hand on her shoulder and the tingling in her scar pulled her out of her thoughts. She blinked a few times at Stefan and then realized that the entire class was gone except for her and him. "Oh," she murmured and stood. Stefan dropped his hand and smiled. "Daydreaming?" he said simply, and Bella just smiled. "Yeah, sort of. Thank you," she said, and they left the class and headed to the parking lot.

Damon was waiting in the parking lot for Bella when her and Stefan walked out. Elena and Caroline were at cheer practice, and Jeremy was leaned against Damon's car waiting on Bella and Stefan. Alice and Jasper waltz out not long after Bella and Stefan. It was so odd to see them in the sunlight without a million glittering lights bouncing off their skin.

"Alaric has a teacher thing," Damon said before Bella could ask why Alaric wasn't out there yet. "I'm taking you to look at some cars. I'm better with cars anyways," Damon said and opened his car door. Jeremy tossed his bag in the back seat and ducked in the car. Stefan went to his own car and opened the door and tossed his bag in before closing the door back. "I'm gonna go watch Elena at practice, have fun Bella," he called as he left her there with Damon, and the others.

Alice drove a red little beetle now, and it was super cute. It just matched her so well. Jasper didn't particularly care for the car, but he would never tell Alice that. He smiled at Bella as he came to stand next to her. "Well, we're going to head back to the boarding house. We'll see you there darling," he said, and Bella leaned a shoulder into his and smiled.

"You're leaving me alone with crazy eyes over there," she muttered, and he leaned over and kissed her temple. "You'll be alright, have fun." He said and got into the little red beetle with Alice and they drove away happily.

"I do not…have crazy eyes," Damon said as narrowed his eyes at her playfully. Bella rolled her eyes and went around to the passenger side and got in the car.

Bella drove her new Jeep wrangler, used but new to her, up to the boarding house. It was a silver blue, and the interior was black leather. It had a pretty nice stereo in it, and she could connect her phone to it Bluetooth. She was extremely happy with herself. Her dad had sent her enough money to place a large down payment, and to much argument and her denying needing anything from Damon, he paid the rest of it saying that it didn't make sense for her to have a car payment before getting out of high school, and what use was a rich vampire friend, if she didn't intend to take their help.

Alice and Jasper walked out to see her new ride. "Oh Bella! It's so totally you!" Alice said as she flitted around the Jeep looking it over, inside and out.

Just then a large, black truck pulled up and a tall, muscular native American man jumped out without a shirt or shoes. Bella recognized him instantly, as her best friend Jake, and his presence made Alice and Jasper flinch and recoil. Damon wasn't sure who the big muscular, bronze god was, or where he came from, but it made him defensive immediately. He went to Bella's side and put himself in front of her.

"Bells!" Jake said when he saw her and growled deep at Damon. Alice and Jasper put their hands up and Jasper went immediately to Damon, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Salvatore, he's a friend, not a foe," he said before Bella could do or say anything. Damon still didn't relax any, but he did move to let Bella through.

She looked at Jake confused. "Why are you here?" she said as she was stepping forward and going to him to hug him. She had missed him terribly she realized. He was her best friend after all. Even if things got a little weird between them for a time.

"I came as soon as you told me Laurent found you," he said, and his arms crushed her to him. His heat radiated from him and she always thought of him as her own personal little sun. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"I didn't intend for you to come all the way here Jake. But it's not just Laurent, Victoria is here too," she said, and Jake tensed. At that word another native American man was stepping out of the truck.

"Jared?" Bella asked, even extra confused that he was here with Jacob. "Why are you here?" She said but she was going to him and hugging him anyways. Jared's arms circled her and hugged her gently and then there was a rumble in his chest as he laughed at her. "Well, Jake here didn't really say at first what was happening until we were halfway here," he said, and Bella stepped away from him and looked at Jake, giving him a disappointed look.

Damon watched the interaction, and again felt strange when Bella was hugging Jake and Jared. His eyes narrowed at the feeling, but he didn't say anything or do anything.

"Well, you boys must be hungry," Jasper broke the silence. "Come in and I'll feed ya," he said and was turning to go into the house.

"Jasper?" Jake asked sort of alarmed because he didn't look or smell like a vampire now.

"It's me Jake. It's a long story, and I reckon we'll get to that, but for now, let's sit down and get some food in you," he said and was disappearing back inside. Alice followed suit with a playful smile toying with her lips.

Jeremy was looking at Jake and Jared in awe. "You guys must work out a lot. I need to know what you guys are doing," he muttered, and Jared looked to Jeremy now.

"It's a wolf thing," he said and grinned.

Bella smiled and watched Jared, Jake, and Jeremy disappear into the boarding house, leaving her there with Damon. "I'm sorry," she said after a few moments.

"You need to stop apologizing for things. There's not a reason to be sorry," Damon said lightly.

"I know that, but Jake and Jared being here is an intrusion. I didn't know that they would come," she said softly.

Damon thought about it for a moment and then took the few steps that was between them and then he was pulling her against his chest. The motion startled Bella but she made no move to move away from him. "Listen Bella," he started as he nudged her face into his shoulder. "You're important. There's nothing that our little gang will do to keep you safe," he said gently, and she started to protest, but he interrupted her. "You don't have to accept it. You don't have to like it, but that's not going to stop any of us from caring about what happens to you," he finished.

Bella stood there against Damon, her heart beating super-fast, and she had no clue why Damon was suddenly like this. He was usually full of sarcasm and boredom. It came as a big surprise to her when she felt him kiss the top of her head. Her eyes were wide with shock and she couldn't get the words out.

That's how Stefan found them when he pulled up behind Bella's new Jeep. He could hear Bella's heart beating out of control and that Damon was holding her in a gentle manner. A look on his brother's face that he hadn't seen ever. "I'll be damned…" Stefan murmured to himself before getting out of the car.

Damon released Bella when Stefan walked up. "Ah brother, where is Elena?" he asked simply, like nothing happened just now.

"Uh, she and Caroline are going over to Bonnie's. Bonnie is studying the grimoire for some more information that could help with fighting Victoria and Laurent." He said and looked at the Jeep. "Nice Jeep Bella," he said, and she turned now. She recovered finally from the shocking moment between her and Damon. It made her feel odd about it, but she smiled anyways and willed her heart to stop acting up and walked to the Jeep.

"Yes, I'm really excited that I was able to get a vehicle today. It makes travel easier for sure," she said and then Jasper was suddenly outside. "Incoming," he said sternly. Stefan and Damon took a defensive stance around Bella. Jasper's eyes looked fierce as he stared towards the trees.

"If you were having a party, you should have invited me," a man, tall with curly, dusty blonde hair and deep blue eyes appeared. He was dressed casually with a V-neck t-shirt and a pair of washed out jeans.

Damon did an exaggerated eye roll and stepped closer to the man. "Well, it's not really a party, just a group of Stefan's friends invading my personal space yet again," he was being sarcastic, and the man raised a brow.

"Friends that include two Cold Ones, and two shapeshifters?" the man supplied.

"W-who are you?" Bella's voice sounded out as she peered around Jasper to the newcomer.

"Ah, I am NiKlaus Mikaelson love, you must be the infamous Bella Swan. How are you little Swan?" NiKlaus' voice was like listening to raw honey drip. His English accent was heavy, and his tone had a sort of husk to it. His deep blue eyes stared into her chocolate ones and it made her feel nervous.

Jasper growled, protective of Bella. NiKlaus looked at Jasper now. "Ah, the God of War is here, and he's sporting a new look. It's been low long now since the Southern Vampire Wars?" he was toying with Jasper now.

"Too long to count Klaus. I see you broke your curse," Jasper stated.

Alice had flitted out now and was standing directly in front of Klaus now. Her smiled beamed up at him. Klaus didn't appear to be shocked by this. "Mr. Mikaelson, so great of you to join us. We were having some dinner. Why don't you and your brother join us?" she said as her eyes danced to the tree-line.

Klaus smiled mischievously at the pixie girl in front of him. "You…must be Alice. I've heard Aro speak about you before," he said as he motioned a hand up in the air, signaling for his brother to emerge.

Another tall man, with dark hair and dark eyes, wearing what looked like an expensive suit, stepped out of the woods and made it to them in a blink. "I'm Elijah," he spoke looking at Bella and then to Alice. "We would love to join you, Klaus…behave," he said before walking into the boarding house. Alice grinned at Klaus and then she reached to Jasper and took his hand before dragging him inside. Damon grabbed Bella's hand now, linking his fingers with hers as he pushed her along inside. Stefan stood there facing Klaus now.

"Don't worry ripper, I'm not going to harm little Swan. I've been told that there was a situation that might need my assistance," he said and walked inside with the others. Stefan wasn't so sure that this was a great idea, allowing Klaus to be a part of anything. He did after all, nearly kill Elena and her aunt, and not to mention he was ruthless, and merciless. Bella's life was in more danger now that he had arrived. Stefan took in a deep breath before disappearing inside, hoping that chaos did not break out.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you LunaM303, Ale74, and Slkupger87 for your comments. Many different parties have arrived. What will happen next? **___

The air was tense as everyone sat around the large dining table. It seemed odd to have one when vampires rarely indulged in eating human food. Bella found it odd, but she didn't say anything. Bella sat at one end of the table with Alice to her right, Jasper to the left, and then Damon and Stefan. Klaus and Elijah sat at the other end because Alice asked them to be respectful of Bella. Jake and Jared sat next to Alice on the one side. Bella looked at all the faces around her. They were all incredibly different, but they didn't look like they were supernatural at all. Unless being insanely sexy or beautiful was a supernatural characteristic.

"So, what is the plan now that the scooby gang is all together?" Damon broke the silence as he lifted his glass, which surely had brandy in it, to his lips and drank.

"We need to coordinate," Alice spoke freely, and Klaus gave her an intriguing look. Elijah lifted a glass to his lips too without saying a word, knowing that Klaus was getting ready to deliver a speech of sorts.

"I don't think we need to do anything," Bella said before Klaus could let one word out.

"Why do you think that little Swan?" Klaus said, his hands clasped together in front of him while he leaned on his elbows and rested his chin on his hands.

Bella's eyes went to Damon and then to Jasper and she cleared her throat a little to try to get her nerves to stop being so jittery. "Well, Victoria and Laurent are only two Cold Ones. Right now, I have more bodyguards than the president himself. So, I believe that if we just continue on with normal day to day, eventually they'll make their move, or they'll be too paralyzed by fear to retaliate because now there are two original vampires involved," she finished her long-winded speech. Everyone was looking at her. Klaus sat back in his chair now, grinning.

"Well little Swan, you seem to have thought this through…. thoroughly," he stood now and walked around the table to where she was sitting. Everyone tensed as he moved. Jasper instinctively placed a hand over Bella's, but she rose from her seat to face Klaus. Her heart was still pounding hard and she wished that everyone couldn't hear it, but she was going to be strong.

"I have Klaus. I think about everyone in this room, not just myself. Victoria is after me. Not any of you. So, I don't take this situation lightly, which I know is what you're thinking. I don't want people to risk themselves for poor little human Bella," she said, and Damon started to say something, but Bella cut him off. "But, I do see that I am cared for and that no matter what I do or say, you guys, the supernatural scooby gang so to speak, will not let anything happen to me because for some reason, you've all decided I was worth saving."

It was quiet for a few moments. "Are you finished?" Klaus said with an arched brow.

"Yes," Bella replied quietly.

Klaus nodded. "Good. Little Swan, you don't know me, or my family, and you certainly have every reason to fear me, and you probably shouldn't be so forward with a hybrid that can literally break you in two before anyone could even move a muscle." This caused Jasper to tense visibly and even incited a bunch of growls from around the table. Klaus rolled his eyes.

"You guys are pathetic. Just because I've threatened to kill some of you doesn't make me _want _to kill little Swan. Quite the opposite. I love that you're forward with me without fear," he said with a smile and brought a hand up to her face now. His hand held her chin sharply to look at him in the eyes. "You little Swan, are intriguing because you're _different. _You can't be compelled, and your mind is impenetrable. You survived the attack of a Cold One, and you've managed to make two vampires sitting at this table, actually care. So yes, little Swan, you have the protection of two original vampires, but you will also have the full protection of the rest of the Mikaelson family. Rebecca will be at school with you on Monday," he said as he released his hold on her chin.

Elijah stood now, setting his glass down and looking at his wrist as to check the time. "Alright brother, enough monologues for today," he said, reigning in his brother.

Klaus smiled and leaned into Bella's hair and placed a light kiss on top. Damon growled, and surprisingly so did Stefan. He then turned and followed Elijah. "'Til next time little Swan," and then him and Elijah were gone.

"That guy has a serious ego problem," Jake said after they left. Bella let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and sat back down in her chair. Her legs were a bit wobbly, and she held Jasper's hand as he offered it. His gift was very useful for times like this. Alice placed a hand on Bella's shoulder and smiled.

"Yeah, Klaus is usually a threat, but for some reason you've managed to peak his interests," Stefan concluded. His eyes looked at Damon. Damon was looking at his brother with narrowed eyes. He was unsure why his brother would take such offense to Klaus kissing the top of Bella's head, and honestly, he wasn't sure what got into him either.

"Well, for now, I just want to go back home and rest. It's been a rather eventful day. I'm sure Elena and Jeremy are wondering about my new car," Bella said and stood, now that Jasper had made her feel better.

Damon stood now too. "Well, I'm going with you because you no longer get to travel alone."

"But-" Bella started and Jake stood. "Bells, he's right. You can't travel alone anymore. You need someone with you at all times. I've got to contact Sam, so I have to shift to relay some information to him, but me and Jared are hanging around for a while."

Jared nodded. "I guess that means you get to see us at school too," he said with a white grin.

Bella smiled at her two wolf friends. "Thank you, but you really don't have to."

"We're going to Bells. "Jake said and was disappearing outside with Jared on his heels.

"Oh joy, hot tempered shape shifting wolves will be staying in my house," Damon muttered with frustration.

"At least their bites aren't deadly," Stefan pointed out and Damon rolled his eyes.

"Bella, really, it's no problem for anyone to stay with you at all times. It's important that you're never alone. You have to promise that you won't go out alone," Alice said, her brown eyes serious and full of worry. Not the usual light, joyful looks that Alice normally had.

"I promise Alice. I know better. I don't have to be a bother, and what's a bigger bother than getting myself killed," she tried joking but she only got serious looks. She sighed and grabbed her coat off her chair. "Well, I have to get going. I do still live at Uncle Ric's. I can't stay here 24/7," she muttered.

"I think that it would be a great idea for you to stay here full time," Jasper stated finally. It made more sense. They could protect her better.

Bella shook her head. "Charlie will be joining me here after he's done with his work back in Forks. I can't very well explain why I'm staying at the Salvatore boarding house instead of with Uncle Ric."

"You are 18 Bella," Stefan reasoned.

"Yeah, but I don't want to be disrespectful to my dad and Uncle Ric. Jenna has been wonderful, and then there's Elena," Bella tried to reason back.

Damon moved and grabbed her arm gently. "Well, we can stand around all night debating your safety, or we can go back to your house and talk it over with Alaric and Jenna and go from there," he said and pulled her towards the door. She tried protesting, but it was no use. Damon's hold was too great. She sighed and gave in and left out the door with Damon.

He got in the passenger seat, surprisingly, and she got into the driver's side. "I figured you would want to drive?" Bella asked.

"It's your Jeep," he pointed out and she only nodded and turned the Jeep on. They headed back to her _house. _Thinking it was just weird.

Damon was quiet for some time. He was staring out the passenger window, looking like he was thinking deeply about something.

"What's wrong?" Bella finally said, breaking the awkward silence that was building.

"Nothing is wrong," he muttered, and his blue eyes looked over at her. They were full of confusion, she thought. She glanced back at him and then back to the road. She sighed and didn't say anything until they pulled up at the house. She put the Jeep in park and then looked at Damon full on now.

"Damon, you have to communicate with me. I can't be guessing what's going through your head all the time. I don't have magical powers that allow me to," she said, frustrated.

He stared at her for some time, studying her, trying to figure out why she interested him so much. When she looked away, he found himself reaching out and turning her to face him again. He wanted to keep looking into her eyes. He leaned in closer to her, watching her part her lips, and her hot breath escape out. Her heart was picking up its pace, and before he could get closer there was a tap at her window. It pulled them out of the bubble and Bella smiled up at her Uncle Ric. She got out of the Jeep, Damon following suit, looking angry almost.

"So, you got a vehicle that can roll easy," Alaric pointed out but laughed. "I like it though."

Bella smiled. "Yeah, well, the safety features are actually pretty good. Thank you," she said and gave her uncle a hug. It surprised Alaric at first and then he wrapped his arms around his niece, smiling.

"Well don't thank me. Thank your old man, "he said and then patted the top of her head. "So, you're back earlier than I imagined."

"Well, we wanted to have a chat," Damon said, coming around to the driver side now. "We have more members to our little gang now."

"Oh?" Alaric said as they angled towards the front door.

"Yes. We've grown since yesterday. We now have the full support and protection of the Mikaelson's, and two wolf shapeshifters came today from Forks," Damon said as they went inside the house and to the kitchen where Jenna was sitting drinking a cup of tea and looking at her laptop. She looked up as they entered and raised a brow at Damon.

Bella sat down at the table with a sigh. "I told you, I will be fine," she started but Damon shook his head and looked to Jenna and then to Alaric.

"We're proposing that Bella come stay at Salvatore boarding house until we find the two and put them out. It's temporary. Major suggested it," Damon said, and Bella's eyes darted to Jenna.

Jenna smiled. "Oh sweetie. I'm a vampire," she said simply. "I know about all of this already," she said and sipped her tea some more.

Bella's mouth gaped open as she stared. "What?" _How had she not known this? She had been staying here for some time. _

"I really thought you knew?" Jenna said frowning and looked back at Alaric. "You didn't tell her?"

Alaric sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair. "Well, I believe we might have insinuated, but I don't think we actually ever said, hey Jenna is a vampire."

"Well, I'm always busy with my doctorate and all of that jazz so I guess it wouldn't have mattered much. I'm sorry that you didn't know, but just know that I know everything that is going on and I think that it's a great idea," she said and smiled to Bella.

It was Alaric's turn to be shocked now. "You think it is a great idea for Bella to go stay at the boarding house? Why?"

"Well, she'll be safer there. I'm hardly here, Elena and Jeremy spend most of their time there. They're not in direct danger, and with Bella being there, she can be guarded easier, and it will divert attention away from Elena and Jeremy. I'm sorry if that seems selfish," Jenna said frowning at herself.

Bella shook her head. It made more sense now when Jenna put it that way. She was putting Elena and Jeremy in danger. "You're right. I don't want them to be in any more danger than they already are. I'll go stay at the boarding house for now. Until Victoria and Laurent are found at least."

Damon smiled at the gawking Alaric and then gave him a thud on the back. "Hey Uncle Ric, it's going to be okay. Bella will have her own room and Alice is there." He reassured.

Alaric wasn't necessarily reassured considering he walked up on what looked like Damon about to kiss his niece. He closed his mouth and cleared his throat. He couldn't really force Bella to stay with him, and logically speaking it did make the most sense.

"We can't tell your dad," Alaric said finally with a sigh and Bella nodded in agreement.

"Okay then, it's settled. I'll stay at the boarding house for now," she said and then she disappeared upstairs to grab some of her things.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that has been following along with this story. I've decided to introduce an OC (original character). Let me know what you all thing! Don't forget to write a review! **_

Bella only packed a few things that she would need like clothes, her laptop, toiletries, stuff like that. Back at the boarding house she walked around her new room. Everything was just so extravagant. Her bed was a king-sized bed, with royal blue silk sheets, and a silk, goose down comforter that was a deep royal blue, embroidered with gold. The bed itself had four posts and a canopy that had greyish blue silk that hung down all four posts. The floors were real hardwood, a deep cherry and all the furniture was a deep cherry wood as well. There was a fireplace in her room, and even had a seating area in front of it. She had her own bathroom, which actually made her really happy. The bathroom was elegant. A large clawfoot tub that could practically fit three people and a shower that was in the open, with a drain in the floor. Everything was done in grey and black slate. Even the sink was a glossy, glass black bowl, and there was enough room in the bathroom to fit another bed. Bella was able to put the few clothes she brought with her in two drawers in one of the dressers. The armoire had clothes in it that would fit her, she assumed as compliments of Damon, but none of it was really her style.

She was alone for some time before Jasper knocked on the door.

"Come in," Bella called as she sat in one of the crimson red armchairs in front of the fireplace. Jasper came into her from holding a glass with what she was assuming was brandy.

"Hey, I figured you might want a drink," He said with a smile. Bella smiled back at him and took the drink from him. He still stood sort of awkward around her.

"Jasper…does my scent still make you uncomfortable?" she was staring down at her drink now.

"No. It doesn't. It never has…" he almost whispered. Her eyes looked up at him with shock. He sighed. "It wasn't me trying to attack you that day Bella…it was Ed- "

"Don't say his name," she cut him off.

He smiled a small smile. "I was trying to protect you." He said and took a seat in the chair next to her. He reached a handout and his fingers brushed hair back out of her face, lightly grazing his fingertips against her cheek. Bella sighed.

"Thank you," she said and then lifted the glass to her lips. She drank long and let the brandy soothe her throat and warm her belly. She was really tired and probably needed rest. Jasper leaned over and placed a light kiss on her cheek and smiled as his amber eyes looked into hers.

"You have no reason to thank me. Bella, there's nothing that I wouldn't do to protect you darling," he said, and she smiled at him. He stood now, tucking his hands in the front of his jeans he wore. "Get some rest," he said and then he left her alone in her room.

Bella stared into the fire before standing and changing her clothes into a pair of blue flannel pants and a blue sweatshirt. She took her bra off and put it on the chair so she could find it in the morning. Before she could lay down there was another knock at the door. She went to the door now and opened it. Damon was standing there in front of her. His icy blue eyes were staring at her with a mix of confusion and hunger.

"Damon, wha-"she started, but he pushed her into the room and covered his mouth on hers. His mouth moved on hers hungry, and she didn't fight back or stop it. His mouth seduced hers. He closed the door and then spun and pinned her against the door. His hands went to her wrists and pulled them up over her head. His body pressed into hers against the door. He could feel the freedom of her breasts and that made him want to explore. His lips trailed down her jaw now, moving to her neck. She pressed against him, her breathing coming in small pants and a small moan escaped her lips as his hands moved down her body to her hips. His mouth found hers again, and she opened it letting his tongue explore, tasting the brandy on her tongue.

Her thoughts were everywhere at once. What was happening? Why was this happening? She finally found the strength to push against him now to make him stop. She even managed to catch her breath to speak. "Stop," she said, her voice shaky, but it came out like a command.

He did stop, his body frozen against hers before he shifted away from her. He looked down at her, her lips swollen from fierce kiss. "Bella," he said softly, his eyes confused.

"I…I've never…" she stammered, and then she moved away from him, hugging her arms across her body. Her back was to him.

He let out a groan and he closed his eyes for a moment. He was willing himself to calm down. His arousal was still pushing against the material of his dark jeans. She was a virgin, he suddenly realized. He brought his hands up over his face and took in a breath. He could smell how aroused she was, so he knew that she was into what he was doing. She was scared.

"I'm sorry Bella," he finally said and turned and stood behind her. His arms enveloped her gently and he turned her to face him. He could see the bright embarrassment in her face. "I'm really sorry…I didn't know," he said his eyes searching hers for some sort of acknowledge or answer.

She only nodded and moved away from him. "I'm sorry. I'm just…really tired. Please…just go," she said, choking the words out.

Damon only looked at her for a moment before leaving her alone.

Bella let out a shaky breath before walking over to the bed on wobbly legs. She sighed before climbing into bed and closing her eyes, willing herself to go to sleep. It didn't take long after how exhausted she was feeling.

Damon left the boarding house to go for a little drive. He had to clear his head. He didn't know why he suddenly just had to have her. It frustrated him to no end. She was too damn interesting for him to just forget about it. He stepped on the gas more to increase his speed. He needed to get some distance to think for the night.

Bella's screams were startling. Her nightmares were getting worse. She thrashed around on the oversized bed. "No!" She screamed out and sweat broke out all over her. Her heartbeat was going crazy, jumping around all over the place, and her breathing was irregular.

Suddenly she was being shook away, her name being called out. "Bella!"

Her eyes flew open and met green ones. Her vision focused and realized that it was Stefan. He was on the bed straddling her, shirtless, and his hands gripped on her shoulders. "What? St-stefan?"

He eased up now that he saw her awake. He sighed a sigh of relief.

Jasper, Alice, and Jake were running into the room, gathering in the image that was happening.

"Bella!" Jake said as he ran forward. Stefan moved to let Bella up. She took Stefan's hand as he pulled her into a sitting position. The tingling shot down her arm this time. She took her hand away from his quickly and ran a hand over her face and through her hair.

"That was a really bad nightmare," Stefan said and sat all the way back on the bed now.

Bella looked at everyone now and sighed. "I'm sorry guys," she murmured. Jake tried a small smile at her. "It's okay Bells. Nightmares get the best of us sometimes."

Jasper moved to her side now and lay a hand on her shoulder and she could feel the calm. "Thank you," She whispered and smiled at Jasper. Alice folded her hands in front of her and smiled at Bella.

"Bella, it's okay. I'm just glad I finally got you to come to. You were violently trashing around on the bed. I was afraid you were going to hurt yourself," Stefan said, and Bella looked to him and smiled. "Thank you, Stefan. Really. Charlie had to hold me down sometimes too. I'm used to it. I promise it's okay and I really am sorry."

"You need to stop apologizing," Jared said from the doorway. He was leaned against the doorframe, shirtless smirking at her. She smiled back and sighed. "Well, everyone, go back to bed. I'll be fine."

Stefan got off the bed and nodded to her once before filing out of the room. Jake gave her hand a gentle squeeze before leaving with Jared behind him. Alice looked at Jasper and she nodded to him before turning out of the room.

"Jasper, can you just stay until I fall asleep?" Bella asked.

"Of course, darling," he said and sat next to her on the bed and watched as she went back to sleep, sending calmness through her, hoping that would hold back the nightmares.

The next morning, everyone was up early it seemed like. Stefan and Alice were in the kitchen cooking breakfast when Bella made it down the stairs. Damon was sitting at a kitchen bar with a cup of what looked like coffee, and Jake and Jared were no where to be seen. Jasper looked up from the book he was reading and smiled at Bella. "Get any more sleep?" he asked as he sat the book down.

Bella smiled and nodded, hugging her body again with her arms. "Yeah, I did. Thank you for staying last night."

Damon missed the nightmare last night and had heard that his little brother was there to pull her out of it. It did something to the pit in his stomach, but he just lifted the cup of coffee to his lips and drank, and then pretended to read the newspaper. Bella looked at Damon but forced herself to look away from him as she crossed the kitchen to see what Stefan and Alice were cooking.

Caroline came in now carrying some bags and handed them to Bella.

"Oh, what are these for?" Bella said looking at the many bags.

"I went shopping and decided that you needed some things for your closet. You don't have any clothes to wear to school Bella," she scoffed. Just then Jake came through the door, shirtless like normal and Caroline turned at the movement. Her baby blues met Jake's dark brown ones and then it happened. Jake got flooded with a burning, glowing heat that spread throughout his body. He felt a deep pull to Caroline, and he felt that he would do anything and everything for her, no matter the cost. Jared walked in shortly after and witnessed the imprinting scenario and he grinned really wide.

Bella stared at her best friend open mouthed as she dropped the bags in the floor. This caused Jasper and Alice to pay attention to what was happening, and it had Damon and Stefan looking on with confusion.

Caroline couldn't break her eyes away from Jake as he moved towards her. His hand reached out and stroked her face gently.

"Uh, what is happening?" Damon said as he lifted a brow as he watched Blondie and super wolf in the kitchen.

"Jake just imprinted," Bella murmured and then a huge smile was on her face.

Caroline blinked a few times finally and then looked around the room to everyone staring at them and then Jake was knelt down before her. "I'm sorry…what? Who?"

"I'm Jacob Black, son of William Black, grandson of Ephraim Black. I am part of the Quileute tribe in Forks, Washington," Jake said as he still stayed knelt in front of Caroline.

"Okay…. I'm Caroline Forbes, daughter of Elizabeth Forbes, uh, high school Senior, and Miss Mystic Falls? Nice to meet you Jacob?" She said quizzically. She felt weird now. She was staring into his eyes, and she felt so happy, and she had never met him anymore. "Can someone tell me what's going on?" She said looking at everyone.

"Jake here has imprinted on you Caroline," Jared said simply. "Oh, I'm Jared Cameron. Same pack, different family," he said and reached his hand over Jake's head to shake hers.

Caroline shook his hand and then looked down at Jake. "Please get up. You're making me feel weird."

Jake stood up abruptly now and looked at her, his eyes piercing hers. "I know this is weird. I know you don't understand what all of this means. I literally have no control over this…"  
Caroline looked at Jared again, wanting him to elaborate.

"Basically, you guys are soul mates, and Jake will do anything on this planet to protect you and your honor yadda yadda yadda. He'll basically be in a lot of pain if he's rejected, and if he's away from you at all, he'll physically hurt." Jared summed it all up.

Caroline's gaze snapped back to Jake's now. "Really?" she asked, and Jake nodded.

Bella clapped her hands together, startling Jake and Caroline. "Well, this is awesome. I'm so happy that this finally happened for you Jake." She gave her friend a hug and he smiled at Bella but looked to Caroline as if he was asking permission. Caroline picked up on that.

"Oh, I'm okay. You're her best friend. Don't worry about me. I uh…have to figure some things out Jake. This is really strange. I have a boyfriend, who is a hybrid and I'm a vampire so…" she said and looked over to Damon who was grinning at this whole situation, incredibly amused.

Jared snickered. "Ha, you imprinted on a vampire bro!" he said and slapped Jake's back and he growled.

"It doesn't matter to me," Jake said sternly to Jared and then looked back at Caroline and smiled. "Take all the time you need, I'm really sorry…I really can't control this," he muttered, and she nodded in understanding and then turned and picked up the bags Bella dropped and went up to Bella's room with them.

"Alright, so that was definitely the best morning I've seen in a long time. This is going to be incredibly entertaining," Damon said with a laugh before sliding off the stool and walking out of the kitchen.

Smoke was billowing up to the ceiling now, where the eggs and bacon were burning because Stefan and Alice were caught up in the events that took place. They both jumped to remedy the problem.

Jake and Jared left to go back outside, Bella assumed, to shift to relay the information to the rest of the pack.

Bella walked over to Jasper and smiled. "What do you think about all of this?"

Jasper raised a brow at her and smiled. "Well, it's definitely different. Come to think about it. If Jake hadn't traveled here, he would have never imprinted." He gave a little shrug and Bella nodded. She sat down at the bar now and propped herself up on her hand. She really hoped that Caroline wouldn't reject Jake. She knew that she was serious about Tyler, but the look that was exchanged between the two was like fireworks going off. She was biased because Jake was her best friend, but she had come to think of Caroline as a really good friend too and only wanted to see them both happy.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you SAM, Guest, and kouga's older woman for your comments. To answer some questions. I have so many character maps and trees in an explosion on my desk and different branches that I can explore that I'm not entirely so sure at this point in time. I will let you know that there are some boundaries that will be pushed with different characters and character pairings that seem controversial at first. As always, thank you everyone for the support, follows, and favorites. Drop some reviews if you have any questions and I promise to answer the best I can with the story, without giving away too much. **_____

"You did what?" Tyler's voice could be heard all the way up into the top floor of the Salvatore Boarding house. Bella winced at the boom in Tyler's voice. She was fiddling with her hair when she woke up. It was Monday morning and school was starting in a couple hours. For some reason Caroline told Tyler about Jake imprinting and the first thing this morning Tyler was over yelling at Jake.

Damon was standing, one arm crossed and his other occupied with, you guessed it, a glass with brandy. He was watching the hybrid and super wolf duke it out over Blondie. Stefan was over at Elena's to pick her up and Alice and Jasper were both getting ready for the school day too. This left Jared, Jake, and Tyler in the kitchen with Damon supervising.

Bella gave up on her hair and just pulled her boots on that hugged her calf. Those were the only shoes that she really cared for that Caroline had both her. They were fur lined on the inside, and they were a black suede that had a zipper up the back instead of on the side like most boots. She wore a simple pair of skinny jeans, dark wash, and a plaid blue, long sleeved button up shirt with a black camisole underneath. She pulled on her coat, which was just a plain black, fleece lined zip up hoodie for the most part. She walked down the stairs to the kitchen to try and referee the situation.

"Jake, Tyler, please stop," Bella's voice rang out and it pulled Jake's attention away from Tyler.

"Bells, tell him I have no control over this. It's not like I made a pass at Caroline…" Jake muttered.

Tyler's eyes were ringed with gold showing off his hybrid side. That's when Bella knew he was close to his breaking point. She sighed and went between the two. This worried Damon significantly because she may have not noticed that Jake was trembling and a hybrid was nothing to play around with. So, this made Damon step forward too.

"Tyler, I promise you it's a long story that we will most definitely sit down and explain to you later tonight, but for right now we have to get to school. I was here when it happened, and I'm telling you, nothing out of sorts happened with Jake and Caroline. It's a weird situation that requires further explanation," she reasoned and the color in Tyler's eyes faded back to his usual brown. His eyes went to Bella. He nodded once and turned around and left the kitchen.

Bella let out a breath and turned to look at Jake and gave him a quick hug, calming the tremors. Damon tilted his head with intrigue because he saw Jake instantly calm at Bella's touch. She had an effect on people. Jasper and Alice came into the kitchen now.

"Oh, there you are Major. You missed the big wolf tantrums," Damon joked and took a drink of his brandy and walked over to Bella now, who just released Jake, and Jared was slapping Jake on the back in a comradery motion.

"Ah, the imprint talk," Jasper said and moved over to the refrigerator and pulled out a blood bag for himself. Alice still hadn't gotten used to human blood, so she kept to her animal diet, but Jasper was okay with drinking from blood bags. It made Alice wrinkle her nose at him as he drank it down easily.

Bella would never get used to Jasper drinking human blood again she thought, but each time she saw him do it, it seemed more normal. Damon drank human blood and he was fine, and it never bothered her watching him, so she usually just shrugged it off.

"Oh before I forget," Jared said and turned to Bella. "So, some of the tribe is coming in later tonight. Sam is sending them to help because of Alice's vision," Jared said and looked over to Alice, who obviously forgot to talk about this vision with Bella.

"Alice?" Bella raised a brow. Alice smiled slyly. "Well, it's not just Victoria and Laurent we have to worry about. There's going to be a big war…"

"What! And you didn't think to tell everyone?" Bella said, throwing her hands up.

"Well…I did tell everyone, I just…didn't tell you yet. You were having issues with the nightmares and then the panic attack…" Alice tried to make an excuse.

Bella groaned and turned away from Alice. Damon lay a hand on Bella's shoulder. His touch was gently. "Hey, you're being told now, so let's just not worry about it for now and you go on to school. I'll welcome the pups and give them a place to sleep," Damon reassured and surprisingly didn't sound like an asshole like usual.

Bella sighed and pressed two fingers to her temple to stop the ebbing headache that was beginning to start up. Damon brushed her fingers away and replaced them with his. He was running both her temples now and she closed her eyes and sighed again.

"Well, we'll discuss it later on anyways when the rest of the tribe gets here," Bella said and then she opened her eyes to see Damon looking down into her eyes. She stepped away from him now and then left to grab her bag for school. "Jake, Jared, come on," she called over her shoulder as she left to go out to her new shiny Jeep. Jared and Jake spared a glance at Damon and then followed Bella out.

Angela looked up to the sky and cursed the snow. Ben was having a hard time changing the flat tire with the snow falling down so quickly. "Maybe we should just call triple A," Ben muttered, and Angela groaned.

"Why must everything just go wrong?" Angela whined and shivered.

"Need assistance?" A deep, cajun voice called.

Angela turned and smiled at the newcomer. "Oh yes please! My boyfriend can't seem to get a tire changed," she said with a laugh.

The man with dark dreadlocks gave her a half grin, and then suddenly the lights went out for Angela, and Ben. The next time they woke, they were bound and gagged and in some sort of basement of sorts. Angela's panicked eyes landed on Ben, who had dried blood smeared down his face. She wanted so badly so scream and to try to get away, but it was no use. She heard footsteps, and her heartbeat increased.

The man that stopped to help them was standing there now. He was dark skinned, with dark dread locks and bring red eyes. Angela's eyes widened as he grinned at them.

"All the pieces are falling into place," the man spoke and then turned and left the two in the basement.

School of course was a boring day. Alaric was staying after school to help a couple of students that requested tutoring assistance. Since he was a teacher, he had to do those things. He couldn't meet up at the boarding house until much later.

Bella was getting read to leave when she bumped into someone wearing a button up grey shirt with tie and dark slacks. His hair was raven black, and his eyes were a unusual grey. Like storm clouds. "I'm sorry!" Bella called to the man.

He smiled an easy smile. "No worries Miss…" he trailed off.

"Oh Swan. I'm Bella Swan," she supplied her name to him.

"Ah, I'm Mr. Shaw. I think you're on my roster. I'm replacing Mrs. Wright, the English teacher. She's taking early retirement," Mr. Shaw stated and saw Alaric emerge from his classroom.

Bella smiled. "Well welcome to Mystic Falls High Mr. Shaw," she said and saw Alaric at the same time. She walked over and gave him a half hug.

Mr. Shaw raised a brow as he approached Alaric and Bella. "Ric, it's been a couple years," Mr. Shaw called out.

Alaric smiled down at Bella as she gave him a half hug and he gave her one back before looking up at the deep voice. "Oh Ezra, you made it," he said and moved away from Bella and shook his hand. Alaric had a flash of panic in his eyes before he tamed it down.

"It wasn't easy making the move, but I did it. Callum decided to make the move too. We're renting a house over off Fell's Church Rd," he said, and Bella decided to take her leave now.

"It was nice meeting you Mr. Shaw. I'll see you in English then. Bye Uncle Ric," Bella called and then it was Ezra's turn to look surprised.

Bella walked away from the two men and walked out to the parking lot. She bumped into Caroline next who was having a serious internal melt down. "Caroline?" Bella said as she waved a hand in front of Caroline's face.

Caroline blinked a few times and then looked to Bella. "Oh. I'm sorry," she murmured.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked and then Stefan was coming up on them now.

"Hey guys," Stefan said and looked at Caroline. "Are you okay?" He asked her.

Caroline sighed. "I'm just…it's been a weird couple of days…" she said and walked off before anyone else could ask her if she was okay. She clearly wasn't okay because of everything that has happened. Jake imprinted on her, and then there was Tyler who was extremely angry over it. It wasn't like she jumped Jake's bones or anything. _But I wanted to. _She thought to herself.

Bella watched Caroline and then looked at Stefan. "Where's Elena?"

Stefan rubbed his neck and then looked away. "We had a fight. She's driving herself home," he said and then looked back at Bella. "Oh, Jake and Jared are at football practice? Apparently, Coach Brenn wants them to try out because well, of their size. They told me to tell you not to wait for them. I've got to run off to practice myself, but I didn't want you to be waiting for them to show up."

"Ah, okay. Well thank you," she said and watched him trot off towards practice. Everyone was normal and everything was going to be normal. She walked the rest of the way to her Jeep and climbed in. She sighed before starting the engine and driving towards the boarding house.

Back at the boarding house Damon was just doing some light reading on Cold Ones and remembering his times in the Southern Vampire Wars. It wasn't much of a challenge for Damon to put down the new borns because Cold Ones had a huge disadvantage when it came to regular vamps. He heard the door open and close and heard Bella come in. She walked into the parlor, looking like she was deep in thought.

"Where's the wolf posse?" Damon broke her thoughts. Bella looked at him and sighed as she sat down in front of the fireplace on the couch.

"They're at football practice or tryouts or whatever," Bella said as she looked into the dancing flames in the fireplace. She shrugged off her jacket and slung it on the back of the couch now. Damon moved and brought her a brandy. She took it without hesitating and took a deep drink before actually looking at Damon, who was now sitting next to her, staring into her eyes with his intense icy ones.

"Thank you," she said and set the brandy on the table before Damon leaned in and took her lips with his again. Bella's eyes fluttered closed as she let him taste her mouth. His hands stayed on her wrists, sending a tingling sensation through her arms. Bella's breath hitched a little bit and Damon moved in closer, bringing one hand up to the back of her neck, as he kept her tied to him. His mouth moved under hers, nudging her lips open, inviting him to taste her tongue. She let a little sigh out before she found the strength to pull away.

"Damon…" she said and brought a hand up and over her face.

Damon was watching her now. He was confused why she kept resisting him. He could tell that she wanted it, could hear her heartbeat race, and could feel the heat in her face as she let him explore her mouth. "Bella, I…" he started and then the door was opening and closing again. Alice and Jasper were back. Alice flitted into the room and looked at Bella.

"Oh Bella! I just love this school. The people are so great. Oh, Rebecca is coming over tonight. She is bringing facial stuff and we're going to do a girl thing!" Alice was talking really fast and was just flitting around the room. It looked like she was glitching in and out of places and to any body else, they would think that they were in the matrix or something.

Jasper crossed over to the liquor cabinet and got himself a drink before settling in a large armchair and crossed a leg over. Bella smiled at Jasper as he watched Alice flit around the room in her usual self.

Damon decided to get up at this point and just let them be. "I'll be…around. If you…need me," he grumbled and left the room.

They watched him leave. Jasper could feel the tension between Bella and could feel her emotions wavering and going all over the place. He reached over and placed a hand on hers to calm her.

"Thank you," Bella whispered and then grabbed her brandy and drank the rest of it down quick. Damon was making her stomach do little flips and she really didn't like it.

Rebecca was so beautiful, Bella thought as Rebecca made it over. She was high strung of course, and even through her bitchy façade, Bella could tell that she cared about making friends. They were set up in the parlor doing facials. Caroline decided to be apart of the party to help take her mind off her troubles. Damon finally came back downstairs to open the door.

"The other super wolves are here," he called out and then there they were. Embry and Seth made it to Bella first. Embry was pulling Bella up in a big hug, making Bella laugh out loud. Seth smiled and then grabbed Bella up next and hugged her tight.

"Seth! You grew!" Bella said with a laugh and was ruffling his hair. Leah stood off awkwardly and just nodded to Bella. Paul stood in the doorway staring. Bella looked over to him and then crossed over and gave him a quick hug. Paul surprisingly gave her a hug back.

"Uh, well. This is a nice place," Paul managed to get out. Rebecca looked at all the perfectly, gorgeously tanned wolfpack and thought that they radiated beauty. Just then Jake and Jared made it to the house. Jake was in first and was tackling Embry in the floor in a headlock. They were laughing loudly. Jared walked in and his eyes landed on Rebecca first and then he was stopping. His breath hitched as the heat flooded him and his whole world seemed to spin, and he gravitated towards her.

"No fucking way," Jake said and was slapping a stunned Jared on the back. Embry and Paul were looking on in shock and Seth and Leah were just grinning stupidly.

Rebecca's gaze wouldn't leave Jared's face. Why did she feel funny? He was looking at her with such adoration and loyalty. Bella laughed and Caroline just looked between Jared and Rebecca. "Is that how my face looked?" Caroline stammered out.

Jake looked to Caroline and smiled a small smile and nodded. "Yeah. It did."

Jared crossed the parlor floor to Rebecca. He looked down at her. She was tiny compared to him, but he reached a hand out to her anyways. "I'm Jared Cameron," he managed, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Rebecca Mikaelson," her voice was soft and wavered a little. She was an original vampire for Christ's sake. Why was she unnerved by this big, sexy, bronzed skin god of a man?

"Great, more imprints. I'm leaving when one of you dopey dogs imprint on me," Damon grumbled and stalked over to the liquor cabinet and grabbed more brandy.

Caroline had a hand to her mouth as she studied the exchange between Rebecca and Jared. Her phone suddenly rang, and it made her jump a little. She answered quickly. It was Tyler letting her know that he was heading over to the boarding house for the big "imprint" talk. She muttered an acknowledgment before hanging up. "Tyler is on his way," she said in a small voice. There were so many shifters here now and then there was Tyler, the lone hybrid among the mix, not counting Klaus and the eleven other hybrids that inhabited the area.

When Tyler got there, he could hear all the voices inside. There were more shifters here now, and he hadn't quite picked out their scents yet, but he knew Jake was inside and so was Caroline. He stalked inside, riling himself up for a fight when he opened the door and ran into a bronzed skin, raven haired girl. He instinctively put a hand on her shoulder to steady her. His eyes connected with her hers.

Leah was staring at Tyler as the heat spread through her instantly and everything that she thought before about other's imprinting went out of her mind as everything about Tyler she wanted. She wanted to be everything that he needed and wanted. She would do anything for him. She blinked at him and then dropped to her knees in front of him. It startled him.

"Uh, I'm sorry, what?" Tyler said as Caroline came to see what was happening and her hands flew to her mouth.

"Oh Tyler…" Caroline said and then Jake was making an appearance and so was Bella.

Damon groaned. "Are you freaking kidding me?"

Seth looked at his sister at kneeling in front of Tyler and smiled really big as he rushed past everyone else and was hugging his sister tightly.

"What the hell?" Tyler was saying, looking from Caroline to Bella, and then to Jake. Then he suddenly realized what had just happened. This shifter just imprinted on him. On him. Leah hadn't said anything to him. He decided to kneel in front of her too, forcing her eyes to meet his again.

"Uh, I'm Tyler Lockwood," he said, his eyes moving to Caroline and she only nodded and gave him a small smile.

Leah looked at him and cleared her throat. "I'm…Leah Clearwater…" 


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: So, a lot happened in chapter ten so let's recap. Tyler found out that Jake imprinted on Caroline, Angela and Ben are taken by Laurent (they don't know him yet), Bella runs into the new English teacher Ezra Shaw (hmmm intriguing and Alaric knows him too), Stefan and Elena had a little tiff, Jake and Jared try out for football (because who doesn't need a pair of super wolves on a football team right?), Damon gets Bella alone again but what does she really want?, Rebecca comes over for girl time and uh oh, Jared imprints on her?! (I'm writing this like none of the tribe has imprinted on anyone, so I want to do some mash up pairs here). Embry, Seth, Paul, and Leah make it to Mystic Falls (Yay! I intentionally left out Quil, give it time), and for the finale, Leah imprints on Tyler. We've come full circle. Let me know what you all think. **_____

Alice rises early, leaving Jasper in bed next to her. Since Bonnie made the rings for them, they've been able to actually sleep, which is refreshing after so many decades of no sleep. She dressed quickly and made it down the stairs to the parlor to start a fire. She loved the smell of the wood burning and the crackling noises that it made. It's been a week since the imprinting fiasco. There were a lot of tears shed, mostly by Caroline, but the pull of the imprint seemed to affect the imprintee as well as the imprinter. Damon was still grumbling about the magic of imprinting up until a couple days ago. She had to admit that it was all sudden. She didn't know a lot about the Quileute legends, but she intended to study more on it.

Stefan knew that Alice was in the parlor before he emerged. She was staring down at a book in her hand. Her hands flipping the pages quickly as she soaked in the words quickly. She was reading about shifters and werewolves. He smiled at the sight of her. It was still early so the others wouldn't be making an appearance for a couple hours. School seemed to be dragging on this time around.

Alice glanced up at Stefan as he moved into the room now. "Oh, good morning," she said quietly and set the book down and went over to throw another log onto the fire.

"Doing some light reading?" he asked as he poured himself a drink. It helped curve the hunger. He had to go hunt soon or the alcohol wouldn't be able to curb it.

She smiled at him. "Yeah. I'm just curious about the difference in the wolves in Forks and the ones here," she said and took the glass that Stefan offered. She felt the ebbing of hunger and knew that she would have to hunt soon.

"Yeah, they appear to be vastly different," he said and took a short drink.

"They are different, and it's so fascinating that one imprinted on the other. I think that might be the reason why the imprinting legends don't happen frequently because as far as I know, the Quileute tribe members don't typically travel outside their lands," she said and drank her glass down quickly and set it aside. Her eyes danced over to the fire again and the way the glow of the fire hit her eyes made Stefan's breath catch in his throat.

Before he knew it, he reached a hand out and brushed a knuckled over her cheek. It stunned Alice. Her eyes jerked to his and she stared into his sparkling green eyes. What was happening? Why did she feel…this pull? She broke her gaze and Stefan dropped his hand in a daze. What was he doing? He stepped away from her and turned his back. He heard Bella moving around upstairs now, and he was sure Jasper was up now too. Usually when Bella woke, so did he.

Alice cleared her throat. "Thank you for the brandy," she said quickly and left him in the parlor to himself. She darted outside. She had to get away to hunt. She went off into the woods that surrounded the boarding house in search of a larger game. After she was satiated, she took her phone out and dialed Carlisle.

He picked up on the first ring. "Alice?"

"Carlisle," she sighed out.

"What's wrong?" his voice was full of concern for his adopted daughter. She sounded off, and it was unlike Alice to sound…off.

"I don't know. It's a whole bunch of things," she said and then she went on with the entire story of coming to Mystic Falls to help Bella, and then the impending vampire war with Victoria and Laurent. She told him about Bonnie giving her and Jasper spelled rings that let them blend in with the humans even on the sunniest of days. How Stefan was becoming a pull to her dead heart, and that she was just so jumbled up and confused inside.

"Alice…breathe," he said with a little laugh. "Do you need me to come there?"

"No. Not yet. Victoria and Laurent haven't changed their minds. The isn't coming yet," she murmured and there was silence. She heard Emmett's voice in the background.

"Okay Alice. You let us know when you need us," Carlisle said. "Take care," he said and ended the call.

Carlisle looked at Emmett. "I know you just heard everything that Alice just said. I don't need you rushing off," he said as he watched Emmett start to pace.

"Bella is in danger and I have to be there to protect her," Emmett yelled.

"The hell you do!" Rosalie screeched from the doorway. Her arms were crossed across her chest. "She's not our problem Em."

"She's my little sister Rose, I can't leave her to be mangled and killed by nomads that are seeking revenge for something me and Edward did!" He bellowed at his small wife.

Rosalie's eyes were burning with rage. "You can't care for her and be with me," she said with ice in her voice.

Emmett stared at her, appalled at what she just said. Carlisle stood silent. Esme was joining them now hearing the shouting. She stayed quiet like Carlisle waiting for her children to calm down.

"Fuck it," Emmett said.

"Emmett," Esme's voice was stern. "None of that language."

Emmett looked at Esme and then Carlisle. He wouldn't turn his gaze back to Rosalie. "I'm leaving. I'm going to Mystic Falls. I know what you said Carlisle. I'm not…I'm not going to abandon her this time. Family means something to me," he said and turned his gaze to Rosalie, his eyes cold and fierce now. "If you can't understand family…then you're not the person I want to spend my eternity with," he said and left, leaving a gaping Rosalie. He was heading to Bella, to Mystic Falls.

Edward returned after Emmett left to a very angry Rosalie throwing things around the house and to Esme and Carlisle trying to calm her down. "What's going on? "

Rosalie couldn't do anything but scream before she left the house. Edward watched her rush out and then turned his gaze to Carlisle and Esme. "What is wrong with her?"

"Emmett," Esme said and was trying to pick random broken things up around the room.

"Where's Alice and Jasper?" Edward said and Carlisle said nothing. "Carlisle?"

"They are exploring on their own like you have been doing for the past six months Edward," he said before bending to help his wife collect the debris.

Edward stared at his "parents" before walking off to his own room to think. They were thinking about useless things, so he wasn't sure exactly what they were hiding from him.

Stefan takes his phone out and dials a number of an old friend. He needed to just talk these things through with someone that he trusted the most with his inner secrets. He put the phone up to his ear and smiled when Lexi's voice sounded in his ear.

Meanwhile upstairs Jasper was knocking on Bella's door.

"Come in," Bella called from the bathroom. She had just gotten out of the shower. She wrapped her towel around her body loosely. Bonnie had text her and told her she was coming over with some information on some sort of spell about Cold Ones, so she was anticipating it was Bonnie when she walked out to the bedroom.

Jasper had walked into the bathroom and saw Bella come out of the bathroom in just a towel. She had a white towel wrapped in her hair like she just got out of the shower. His eyes danced down her legs before his eyes landed on hers.

Bella gasped and jumped, the towel slipping. Jasper was to her quickly, his hands pulling the towel around her snuggly, his fingers brushed against her collar bone. His amber eyes gazed down into hers. Her heart was thumping hard in her chest, but she started to relax because it was Jasper and not Damon.

"I'm sorry, I should have announced that it was me," Jasper said quickly. His eyes swept down to look at her lips, which were slightly parted. They were close together, and he could feel her heartbeat under his fingertips. If he moved his hand, the towel would fall, and he knew how Bella was and didn't want to embarrass her. He wasn't sure what to do in this situation. He could quickly turn around and let her collect herself. He had vampire speed, but he couldn't will himself to move.

Bella then leaned up and kissed his lips softly. She wasn't sure why she did it, but she did. A soft sigh escaped his lips and then he kissed her back gently. Her lips were warm and plump. Her breath was hot against his lips as he took the invitation into her mouth. His fingers gripped the towel tightly now, trying his hardest to hold himself back. He brought his other hand up to her face as he kissed her, wanting to feel her heated face. It took everything he had to pull away from the kiss. His "gift" would certainly not be a welcome to the others in the house. He dropped his hand to hers and used it to lift it to the top of the towel and grab it. He then turned his back so he wouldn't see anything in case her hand didn't grasp the towel enough.

"Jasper…I…" Bella said before she felt her face grow hot with embarrassment and then the guilt washed over her.

"It's okay Bella," his voice was strained, so he forced himself to take a breath. "Just go ahead and get dressed," his voice still strained, and he had to make himself keep his gift at bay.

Bella turned and went back to the bathroom to get dressed quickly. She returned to see Jasper still standing there with his back turned. "I'm dressed now," she said quietly.

Jasper turned, hesitantly, to her. She was dressed simple like she did every day. "I'm sorry Bella," he said before she could say anything. "It's okay. I promise…it was my gift acting up. You would have never done that…" he drifted off.

Bella was looking at him confused. "Jasper, I know what your gift feels like, and you weren't using it on me when…" her eyes fell to the floor. "It was me Jasper. I just want you to know that I won't let it happen again," she said, but he surprised her when he had her pinned against the armoire and was kissing her again. This time his mouth was heavier, and hungrier on hers. Bella let out a gasp when his mouth went to her throat where he layers kisses. His hands gripped her hips tightly and his body pressed against hers. Her lips found the curve of his neck too and she kissed there, making him shudder against her body.

"Bella," he panted out. "I…" he closed his eyes and rested his head against hers. The Major was trying to make his appearance. He couldn't let that happen. He had to stop this. "I have to go," he said, and opened his eyes to look into hers. She was dazed, her eyes dilated from arousal. His mouth covered hers again, gentle this time and quick. "I'm so sorry," he said before disappearing from the room.

Bella stood there still dazed and confused at what just happened. Then she thought about Alice and tears stung her eyes. "No…" she said and then she was crying into her hands in the floor. It took her a few moments to compose herself before she was able to leave her room and head off to school.

Bonnie met Bella in the hall at school. "Sorry! I got caught up at Gram's, I promise after school I'm bringing my grimoire over. We have a few things that I want to talk about with Jasper and Alice," she said.

Bella nodded. "You don't need me for it. I'm sure you can work it out with them," she said and Bonnie looked at her with a confused look. "I suppose I could…are you okay?" she nudged Bella.

"Yeah I'm fine…just tired I suppose. Nightmares and all," Bella shrugged it off. The bell rang and everyone was darting into their classrooms. Bella had English first. Mr. Shaw always looked at her weird, like he was baffled by her or something. He was young for a teacher, but that was because he was fresh out of the university.

The school day was going by in a blur. Alaric had a sub in his classroom today, and then she remembered that he was picking her dad up at the airport today. In everything that has been happening she forgot about her dad finally moving to town. She groaned at the thought of trying to explain everything to her dad about why she was staying at Salvatore Boarding house, and why Jake and all his friends were here and why Alice and Jasper were here. It was so hard to keep up with this secret.

At the airport Charlie met Alaric in the lobby. He hugged Alaric in a strong hug. "It is so good to see you," Charlie said, and Alaric smiled at him. "Right back at you."

"Where's Bells?" Charlie asked.

"Oh, she's at school. I figured I'd come pick you up and bring you to the house and all of that jazz before she got out," Alaric said, and Charlie only nodded and followed Alaric to his car.

"So…there's a few things that I need to talk to you about before we get to the house," Alaric started off hesitantly. Charlie took notice of this. "Hell, Ric just come out with it," he said gruffly.

"So, Bella is living at Salvatore Boarding house, my girlfriend is a vampire, and so are a bunch of others in town. Oh, Jake and his Quileute tribe are here, and Alice Cullen and Jasper Whitlock Hale," Alaric rambled out.

Charlie sat in silence the rest of the way to Alaric and Jenna's house. _So, vampires are real…so are the wolves. _Charlie thought in his mind. When they pulled up at the house Charlie let out a sigh.

"Ric. I'm going to be honest with you. I sort of knew about the tribe. I had my suspicions last year. I'm not completely oblivious to the world around me. I know that "animal attacks" aren't always animal attacks," Charlie said breaking the silence. "I had my suspicions about vampires. Doctor Cullen is a vampire," he said it as a statement and not a question.

Alaric nodded. "Well. Bella seems to be in the middle of a brewing war. It has to do with what happened last year in Phoenix," he said.

Charlie nodded. "I knew she didn't fall down the stairs and through a window," he let out a deep sigh. "And Salvatore Boarding house is the safest place?"  
Alaric nodded. "It is. Damon and Stefan Salvatore are both vampires, and incredibly trustworthy. Alice and Jasper are staying there along with all of the Quileute tribe that are here."

"Who all is here?" Charlie asked looking at Alaric now.

"Jake, Jared, Paul, Embry, Leah, and Seth," Alaric rambled off the name. "It's been…quite interesting. It's a really long story. Come inside and I'll tell you more about it all," he said, and they got out of the car and went inside. Alaric sat him down at the kitchen table and started the story from the beginning.

Stefan looks at the large campus before him. Whitmore College. Skipping school was something that he looked forward to, but not to go to another school. He was here for a reason. To meet Lexi. He went to the little coffee shop that Lexi told him that she would meet him at. Apparently, she had a run in with a witch in Texas that made her daylight ring so she could enjoy the perks of being able to walk around freely with humans. He ordered a coffee, that he really didn't intend to drink, but he would fit in. He sat at a table and waited on Lexi. He was early, so he knew that it would be some time before her class finished. It still struck him as odd that Lexi would try to be human when she loved being a vampire.

Violet walked into the coffee show and went to the counter and offered a bright smile to the barista who's name tag read "Jeff". "Vente mocha latte, caramel on top, double shot of espresso please." She rambled off her order. "Violet," she supplied her name and she paid the barista before walking away from the counter. She turned her head and Stefan caught sight of her and the look of confusion was apparent on his face because Violet caught his eyes looking at her.

"Bella?" he said quietly but shook his head. It couldn't be. She was back in Mystic Falls.

"I'm sorry do I know you?" Violet walked over to Stefan now. He was staring hard at her so she must know him.

"Uh, I'm not sure…what's your name?" Stefan managed to get out.

"Violet. Violet Foxx," she said with a bright smile. She _looked _like Bella in the face, but she looked different still. Her hair was short, cut off in an inverted bob, she had reds and purples highlighted throughout, and she wore purple contacts, but her face, her everything just looked like Bella. She couldn't be another doppelgänger, right?

"I'm Stefan Salvatore," he said and then Lexi was there smiling brightly and then she was rushing over. She hooked an arm through Violet's and Violet laughed and leaned her head against Lexi's. Lexi was Violet's best friend.

"Stefan! You're actually here!" Lexi said and then was hugging Stefan. He broke out of his confused state and smiled at his friend. "It's been entirely way too long."


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you kouga's older woman, Guest, and CrazyGryl for your reviews! I promise that it will make sense. I'll try narrowing the focus more. As always, thank you everyone for your support! **_____

Lexi, Violet, and Stefan sat in the little coffee shop at one of the high tables. Lexi and Stefan were laughing over something in their past. Violet had gotten up to get her coffee when her name was called. Stefan's eyes slid towards her back and Lexi noticed the stare. "What is it? Do you know her?"

Stefan's eyes refocused on Lexi's bright blue eyes now. "Not her…but…" he said and then Violet was back at the table now.

"So, Lexi, how long have you and Stefan known each other?" Violet asked setting her cup down on the table and pulling a chair out and taking a seat, tossing her bag over the back of the chair.

Lexi made a 'hmm' sound. "155 years now give or take," she answered, and Stefan looked between the two with a shocked expression.

"What? You didn't think I didn't know _all_ about my best friend?" Violet said, raising a brow before bringing her coffee to her lips, blowing on it a little before sipping.

"I just assumed…" Stefan trailed off. "Okay, well it has been a long time since we've known each other, but we've fallen out a few times here and there."

Lexi snorted. "Right, who's the one who was able to pull you back from your blood ledge?"

Stefan smiled at his friend now and reached a hand across the table and patted hers. "Thank you," he said simply.

Violet looked at the rose gold smart watch on her wrist when it vibrated. "Oh, I have to go. Class," she muttered with a smile and waved at the two before taking off towards class.

Stefan waited until she was gone before letting out a sigh. "I think that Violet is a doppelgänger."

"She's not. Trust me," Lexi said and then stood, grabbing her bag. "Listen, I'll come back with you to Mystic Falls. I know that you're going to need all the help you need. Violet can help, she has abilities that will be beneficial," she said, and Stefan only looked at her confused. She continued. "Just trust me Stef," she said and then kissed his cheek before leaving him there in the coffee shop, still dumbfounded by the whole exchange.

Later that night, Lexi, Violet and Stefan set off to Mystic Falls. Stefan wasn't sure bringing in a human to help with a vampire war was necessarily going to do much good, but he trusted Lexi, so he went along with it. Worst case scenario he could just lock Violet away with the rest of the humans.

Charlie stood outside the door at Salvatore boarding house and looked at how massive the entire place looked. The porch was large, and bare he noticed. With such an extravagant place he figured there would be more to the outside. He sighed and raised his hand to knock but the door pulled open before he could. Standing there was a man, tall, with dark raven hair and piercing, icy blue eyes. He stood there with a glass of what he assumed was some sort of alcohol from the color and type of glass it was in. He was wearing a black V-neck t-shirt and blue jeans.

"Um…I'm Charlie- "

Damon cut him off. "Mr. Swan. You're Bella's dad. Please come in," Damon said standing aside and made an exaggerated show of his arm and allowed Charlie to walk past. Charlie did so hesitantly. "Bella!" Damon called up the stairs.

Bella came to the top of the stairs a few moments later and walked down them briskly. "Damon, I told you, you don't have to scream my name when you need something. Coming up and politely- "she cut off when she saw her dad. She smiled and went and hugged him tight.

"Hey Bells," he murmured into her hair as she hugged him tight. "Missed you kiddo," he said and then pulled back to look her over. She seemed fine. She was still too thin, but her eyes didn't seem to be so dull anymore. He had worried about her intensely while being away. He knew that Alaric wouldn't let anything bad happen to her…intentionally.

"Missed you too dad," she said and then looked to Damon. "Oh, this is Damon Salvatore," she introduced Damon and he nodded and raised his glass. Bonnie was opening the front door now without knocking and almost ran into Charlie.

"Oh! I'm sorry," Bonnie said and then Damon reached over and grabbed Bonnie's wrist and smiled at Charlie. "This is Bonnie Bennett, neighborhood witch. We have important matters, you have fun with your dad Bella," he said and pulled a stunned Bonnie to the other room, her arms clutched around an old, leather-bound book.

"Uh…" Charlie said and looked to Bella. "Is he always so…"

"Prickly?" Bella asked and Charlie chuckled and nodded.

"He is and… more. You caught him on a sort of good day. Stefan isn't here at the moment and he left without telling Damon, so Damon is antsy. Bonnie is here to do a locator spell for him," she explained and realized how crazy it sounded and that she said it like it wasn't a big deal. She was glad that Alaric decided to have the supernatural talk with her dad. She wasn't looking forward to that part.

Suddenly Jake was coming through the door fastening his cut off shorts and almost ran into Charlie and Bella. "Oh Bells, Charlie!"

Charlie looked at the shirtless Jake and then looked back at Bella with a brow raised.

"Oh, Jake and the others don't like to wear a lot of clothing because they shift…" Bella trailed off when Charlie started laughing.

"It's okay Bells. I know the whole deal," he said and turned to Jake and shook his hand. "It's good to see you Jake. Oh, Billy wanted you to call him. I talked to him this morning," Charlie relayed the message. Jake nodded and disappeared into the kitchen to hunt down some food. He left Jared and Leah on patrol while Paul, Embry and Seth went into the town to take a look around.

"Charlie Swan," Alice's musical voice filled the air now as she flitted down the stairs. Charlie's face was a mix of surprise and confusion at first but then he smiled really big as Alice pulled him into a big, warm hug.

"Alice, it's so good to see your smiling face again," Charlie beamed. He had always loved Alice dearly. It had saddened him that she moved away, but now he understood Carlisle better and didn't blame anyone but Edward for the state Bella was in after they moved away.

"It's really good to see you too Charlie," She said and kissed his cheek.

Bella smiled at the exchange and heard a crash in the other room. Bella turned and went and saw that Damon had thrown his glass. Bella rushed over to him. "Damon?" Her cool hands went to his face and tilted his face to look at her. "What's wrong?" She could see the irritation and frustration in his eyes.

Damon closed his eyes and sighed. "Stefan is in Mystic Falls. He's just…missing. Bella, he doesn't drink human blood. He's weaker…" he was clearly concerned for his brother. Of course, he would think up all the worse things that could have happened. There were crazy nomadic Cold Ones out there stirring up trouble and Stefan just went off without saying a word to anyone.

Bella nodded and looked over at Bonnie. "I'm sorry. Can you go grab the broom and dustpan so I can clean up the glass," she said, and Bonnie nodded, understanding and left the room. This was one of the rare occasions that she witnessed Damon actually showing emotion that he cared for someone. Charlie watched his daughter calm down a vampire that was known to be violent and have anger issues. She did it without fear. "Damon, Stefan knows what he's doing. Do you want to call Klaus and see if he has heard from Stefan?"

Damon's eyes flew open, anger in them. "I will not call that dagger happy hybrid freak," his voice was like ice.

Bella sighed and let her hands fall. "Fine. I'll call him then," she said and turned and left Damon in the parlor sulking. She smiled at her dad. "He'll be fine. Don't look so petrified dad. He's not going to hurt anyone. His violent days are behind him…mostly." Bella reassured her dad, but honestly she was reassuring herself. "Listen, I have to make a call," she said, and her dad nodded.

"I understand. I only dropped by for a few. I'm on my way to the stationhouse actually to talk to Sheriff Forbes," he said and then hugged and kissed his daughter before hugging and kissing Alice. Jake was in the kitchen stuffing his face with food. Charlie ducked into the doorway and waved at Jake who gave a thumbs up and continued to eat, he left out the front door and got back into Alaric's SUV he was letting him use and drove towards the stationhouse to meet up with Liz. It had been a while, three years, since he had seen Liz.

Alice slid a hand down Bella's arm. "Go call Klaus, I'll go get Jasper and see if he can calm Damon down," she said and flitted away.

Bella pulled out her phone and called Klaus. He picked up immediately. Most vampires did pick up on the first ring, she thought.

"Ah Little Swan, to what do I owe this pleasure?" his accented voice filled her ear, making her shiver a bit.

"Uh, have you heard from Stefan?" She asked, leaving the foyer and going outside into the coming spring air.

"Why yes actually. He's here with me. Did you need to speak with him?" Klaus' voice was full of amusement.

"Actually, yes please," she said, surprising Klaus. There was a moment of silence and then Stefan was on the line.

"Bella?" he said quizzically. It wasn't like Bella to be calling for him.

"Stefan, good. Damon was worried about you. You haven't answered his calls?" Bella said quickly.

"Tell Damon I'm fine. My phone is dead. Tell him I went to meet an old friend and bring her back for the impending doom," he stated, and rushed off the phone handing it back to Klaus.

Bella was frustrated that he left her to speak to Klaus now. "Thank you."

"Little Swan, anything for you," he said and then hung the phone up.

Bella looked at her phone a moment and sighed before going back inside to relay that Stefan was okay and that Damon was just being…Damon.

Violet was eyeing Klaus and Stefan. Lexi was watching Stefan pace while thinking. "You know you're making me dizzy watching you pace in circles. Why not just go back to Salvatore boarding house? Why are we stuff with this arrogant ass?"

Klaus raised a brow and Lexi stuck her tongue out at him.

Violet crossed her arms across her chest. "I'm thoroughly confused. Your thoughts are too hazy for me to see through," she said.

Stefan stopped and that caused Klaus to look at Violet now too. "What do you mean my thoughts?" Stefan said walking over to Violet.

"Lexi didn't tell you," Violet sighed. "I can read minds, but I can't do that if you're thinking things a million times a minute. You got to slow it down."

Klaus walked over and studied her. "You Little Foxx, just became much more interesting. Stefan, I think you need to chat with dear Violet here and tell her about Bella."

Stefan looked sharply at Klaus and Lexi raised a brow. "Bella? Who is Bella?"

"Yes, who is this Bella?" Violet said and then gasped when she saw the picture in Stefan's mind. "No way…" Violet murmured.

Lexi threw her hands up. "Will someone just spit it out already!"

"Bella is the identical image of your friend here Miss Branson," Klaus stated, and a smile toyed with his lips. "However, I don't think they're doppelgängers."

"That's what you were talking about earlier?" Lexi said baffled.

Stefan looked to the ground. "Well…"

Violet sighed. "I was adopted as a baby. By Derek and Lilith Foxx. I lived in Seattle until I was ten and then we moved to Virginia. I always knew I was adopted. My parents never hid anything from me," she explained.

"So, you're what, Bella's sister?" Stefan asked.

Violet shrugged, bringing a hand up to her chin as if thinking about it. "It makes sense if I look exactly like here. I know that doppelgängers are not very common. It makes more sense for me to be a long-lost twin."

Klaus chuckled, but it was more like a rumble in his throat. "Well, this certainly is going to get very interesting very fast. For now, Little Foxx, you'll have to stay here until Stefan here can break this news to sweet Bella."

Violet crossed her arms and raised a brow "Oh really?"

Lexi stood and walked over. "I think he's right Vi, finding out you have a twin sister isn't exactly something that you just spring on someone."

"I'm fine," Violet pointed out.

"You're not normal," Lexi pointed right back.

"I'm going to go back to the boarding house. Lexi, can you stay here with Violet until I come back. I've got to talk to Alice," Stefan said and left before Lexi could even give his response.

Lexi sighed and sat back down in her chair. Violet looked over to Klaus, who was still studying her. "You know, if you keep staring at me, you might never get the image of me out of your mind."

Klaus raised a brow and turned and walked out of the room, leaving Lexi and Violet to sit there, waiting for Stefan to return with whatever it was he was trying to figure out.

Stefan made it back to the boarding house and opened the door and stepped inside. He walked to the kitchen first, looking for Alice.

"Hello brother," Damon said, and Stefan turned to see Damon leaning in the doorway.

"Damon. I need Alice," Stefan said and then Alice appeared behind Damon. She brushed past Damon into the kitchen.

"Found her," Damon called and narrowed his eyes at Stefan. "You left to get Lexi and she's not with you," he stated the obvious.

"She's with Klaus," Stefan said and turned to Alice. "I need you to come with me for a little bit."

Damon made a huffing sound. "Did the hybrid dick make fun of you again?"

Stefan sighed at his brother. "No. There's just…something that I need Alice's help with."

Alice smiled. "Sure, I'll come help."

Damon raised a brow. "Secrets brother, are never good."

"Well if it will shut you up, you can come with," Stefan snapped out at his brother. Damon thought about it for a moment. "Nah, I'll just wait here. You two have fun, and Stefan," he paused for dramatic effect. "Charge your phone."

Stefan shook his head and left with Alice. They stopped outside by Stefan's car. Stefan looked towards the boarding house.

"What is it Stefan?" Alice's musical voice asked, making him bring his gaze back to hers. Her dark eyes drew him in, giving him a dizzying affect.

"I…met someone at Whitmore College when I went to get Lexi. I need your help with how to handle the situation," he said, and Alice nodded. When Stefan dropped his gaze to the ground, Alice reached a hand up and lifted his chin to look back at her.

"You're really worried about this…" she said, her eyes searching his and then he leaned in and brushed his lips on hers lightly. It made his stomach do a little flip and then before he could think, one hand was on her face and the other on the small of her back, jerking her against him. His mind felt a little fuzzy, and when she didn't protest, he deepened the kiss.

He pulled back after a few moments and looked into her eyes, which were alive and lustful. "I'm sorry. We should get going," he said and then took a step back. Alice only nodded and went around to the passenger side and got in. They buckled up and headed back to the Mikaelson manor.

On the porch stood Elena. She had come over to the boarding house and was up with Bella in her room talking with Bonnie about some of the different spells they could try out when Stefan came in. He didn't give her time to get down the stairs to greet him. So, she went out to hopefully catch him before he left. They had a little disagreement at school the other day, so she just wanted to smooth things over. When he pulled Alice to him and kissed her, her heart slammed up to her throat and her eyes burned with tears and she watched them drive away.

Elena stood there dazed, trying to hold the tears that were threatening to spill over. She didn't even register that her name was being called until Elijah was standing in front of her. "Elena?" He said again and when she looked up at Elijah, the dam that was holding her tears back broke and she let the tears rush out. Her legs started to buckle under her, but Elijah caught her against him. They eased down to the ground slowly. She buried her face into his shoulder and cried the hardest she has in a while. Elijah brushed her hair with his free hand and just kneeled there in silence holding her against him while she cried.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you lazygirl89 and Ale74 for such quick reviews on the previous chapter. Wow is right! I've started pairing people off as many have realized. The biggest question is who Bella will be with. I know that the majority favorite is BellaxDamon. That's also one of my favorite pairings. I've imagined this story a few hundred times and like I've mentioned before, my desk is an explosion of papers, and detailed character maps. Everyone will soon find out, who Bella will start her love path with. Violet has been brought in, but I will say that she isn't for Jasper (Sorry everyone). Keep reading on to find out the crazy that is unfolding before Bella. Oh yeah, the impending doom is still coming. So soon you'll see them gearing up for that. Thank you everyone for all the support! **___

"This certainly isn't something that I would spring on Bella," Alice concluded as she looked at Violet. "Bella is entirely way too fragile to be able to accept news as big as this. This is something that will require a deeper conversation."

Violet looked at Alice, her brow arched quizzically. "You're different than Lexi and Stefan."

Alice looked a little taken back. "I am different. I'm a different species of vampire."

It was Lexi's turn to look taken back. "A Cold One, seriously Stefan?"

Stefan sighed. "I'm not going into all that right now."

"Ah yes, Cold Ones. You guys have venom that forces humans to change, that is if you don't kill them first," Violet supplied.

Klaus was sitting at the piano in the great room where everyone was standing around now. He was playing the piano softly. "Hmm. Little Foxx, you just keep getting more interesting the more you speak." Everyone looked over at Klaus and then he stopped playing and rose, playing his hands in his pockets as he moved around the room. "I think you are not giving Bella enough credit. She's stronger than you all give her credit for."

Alice glared over at Klaus. "You don't know Bella like I do. She's practically my sister," She barked at him and Klaus was in her face almost instantly.

"I would be careful with that tongue of yours child," Klaus growled.

"Okay, okay. Both of you stop," Violet went between them putting a firm hand on Klaus' chest and the other she raised but didn't touch Alice. Stefan watched how Violet moved and it was clear that her and Bella moved the same and they both showed no fear when it came to dangerous hybrids or Cold Ones.

Lexi cleared her throat. "First of all. Why don't we just settle down, have a few drinks. I'm with Klaus," she said, and Stefan and Violet turned to gape at her. "What? I mean, I don't know this Bella chick, but I'm assuming Klaus being the oldest one in all of existence has been around long enough to be able to judge a person accurately," she tried a logical point.

Klaus smirked and stepped back away from Alice. "Listen to your friend Stef, I say we call Bella over and just introduce the two girls. Little Swan and Little Foxx."

Alice made a frustrated sound. "I think that we need to at least tell her about the situation before we just say Oh this is Violet and she's obviously your twin sister," she said and spun around and crossed her arms. "At least talk to Charlie. He has to know about Violet."

"Who's Charlie?" Violet asked.

Stefan looked from Alice to Lexi and then back to Violet. "He's uh…Bella's dad…. biological dad…meaning."

"He's my bio dad. You know you can just say it straight. I want you to get this one thing straight. I'm not fragile. I don't break easy. So, stop tiptoeing around me like you're afraid of me or something because if you're not going to talk to me straight, I will pick it all out of your minds and then I'll just be pissed off," she ranted.

Klaus arched a brow. "Well, you heard her Steffie. Maybe you should think about how angry Bella will be if she isn't told about this and you wait until later. I promise you, if you don't tell, I will," he said and grabbed a bottle of Cognac and poured himself some.

Stefan looked to Alice for a long time. "Alright. I'll go to Damon first. Talk to him and maybe Jacob and then try to get to Charlie. Give me a few days Klaus before you go running your mouth."

"You get one day, I'm not going to hide things from Bella just because you lack faith in her," Klaus said. "Now leave my art room. I don't care if you stay here, but I want to be alone," he said and turned to a blank canvas and looked at it, imagining what he was going to paint.

Violet, Alice, and Lexi left the room first. Stefan took one look at Klaus' back before leaving him be.

Elena was sitting on one of the swings in the garden outside with Elijah sitting next to her. After she cried all she had to cry, with Elijah's help, she managed to get to the swing to sit down. "I just…I'm sorry Elijah, I didn't mean to cry all over your expensive suit."

"Nonsense. You're clearly upset, and the suit is just an item. If you want to talk about it, you can talk about it with me," Elijah said and took a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. Elena took it and smiled.

"I saw Stefan kissing Alice," she said, her voice wavering a little bit.

Elijah nodded. Heart break would be a reason any teenage girl would cry. He wasn't really good at the whole emotion game, but he knew how to just sit there and be a sounding board from time to time. "Did Stefan know you were there?" he finally asked.

Elena shook her head. "No… he didn't. I don't think he planned it. Damon said that they went to the Mikaelson Manor to see Klaus on something that is top secret."

"Interesting. I wonder…" Elijah trailed off and then filed that thought away for later. He saw Violet when she came in with Stefan. He was actually coming over here to have a better look at Bella because it was definitely peculiar.

"I just don't understand it really. Stefan would never do something like this. It's not in his character to…cheat…" she choked on sobs now and Elijah just tilted her head against his shoulder now.

"Do you want me to take you home?" he asked, and she sniffed a bit before nodding. "I think I need to go. I don't want to see him when he gets back."

Elijah just nodded and helped her stand up. He guided her over to his car and got her in the passenger seat. He buckled her in and took her back towards her house.

Damon was sitting in the parlor when Stefan came back with Lexi and Alice in tow. It was late now. They stopped by the stationhouse to see Charlie. The talk was very uncomfortable for Stefan, so Alice had done most of the talking. Charlie admitted to Renee having twins when Bella was born. They were not stable enough to provide for two kids. It was then that Charlie had found out that Renee had be pregnant before when she was fifteen and she gave birth to twin sons. So, Bella not only had a twin sister, but two older twin brothers. That wasn't even the end of that. Charlie said that he hadn't told Bella yet, and neither had Renee, but she was pregnant again with Phil, and they were having twins, a boy and girl. Apparently, twins ran in the family, and she was excited and scared, but didn't want to tell Bella just yet because she hadn't made it to the halfway point yet.

Alice and Lexi were quiet the whole way back to Salvatore house. He knew that Lexi was just soaking all the information in. Alice was still trying to process the information and she was also trying to look to the future to see if she could see these twin brothers of hers in any capacity.

Damon looked up at the trio when they came into the study. "Ah, so Lexi returns. Did your top-secret club meeting go good?"

Stefan had a serious look on his face when he went to his brother. "Hey, we have some things…it's important and it involves Bella," he said, and Damon stood now, the playful look in his eyes going away. Now he was worried.

"I think we need to make sure Jake is here," Alice said. "And Jasper. Call the meeting Stefan," she said and put a hand on his arm lightly and exchanged a look with Stefan. It was a gentle look. That look spoke words that Lexi knew, was more than just a somber gaze.

Stefan did just that. Everyone that was there, including Jake and Jared, sat around in the parlor. Bella was standing by the fire with her arms across her chest. Damon had a serious look on his face. He wasn't entirely sure what was about to happen, but Stefan was serious about this, so he knew that it wasn't time for joking or games. Alice nudged Jasper closer to the fire by Bella. Jasper was just as clueless as Damon and Bella, and apparently so were the wolves.

"So, Bella," Alice's voice was calm and steady. She knew that Stefan shouldn't be the one to tell her about this. "We found out some information today that we think that you should know. It's shocking information, and I want you to hear it all out before you say anything."

Bella nodded and shifted nervously. Alice proceeded. "Stefan went to Whitmore College today to get Lexi," she motioned a hand to Lexi and Lexi held up a hand with a small smile. "He found someone…someone that appears to be related to you."

Damon's eyes narrowed at Alice, but he shifted his gaze to his brother. Jasper looked over to Bella to gage her response. She only was feeling nervous, nothing extreme at the moment. If she started panicking, he would step in and calm her.

"You have a sister. A twin…sister," Alice said. "And…I talked to your dad, and it appears that you do have older siblings as well. Twin brothers that Charlie doesn't know who they are. Renee never told him until…you…and your sister was born," she paused and looked to Jasper, he nodded, and Alice proceeded. "Your mom hasn't told you yet, but she's pregnant right now, with twins…I know this is a lot to take in, so please know that your dad never intended for you to get hurt, and he honestly thought Renee would talk to about all of this before it got to this," Alice tried to explain.

Bella held up a hand now. Her eyes were confused, and she was staring into the fire now. Her heart was racing a little, but she was fighting back the panic attack. When Jasper reached for her she moved away, and then Damon was there. He reached a hand out to steady her as she let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. She swatted his hand away and then placed a hand to her stomach to try and press the bundle of nerves that was there away. Everyone was looking at her now, and the panic was still trying to rise in her belly.

"Bella," Alice said but Bella only shook her head.

"I-I'm okay," she let out another breath and turned and Jasper moved towards her now, seeing the dizzying look on her face. She let his hands land on her shoulders and his _gift _soothed the panic. She closed her eyes and left Jasper calm her down before she spoke again.

"Where is she?" Bella said after a few long moments of silence.

"She's at the Mikaelson Manor," Stefan said now.

Bella nodded. "I want to go see her," she said and started moving to the foyer where her bag and keys are at.

"Wait," Damon said and put a hand on her arm. "You don't need to go alone,"

"I'm not going alone. Jasper is coming with me," she said, and Jasper moved to follow Bella. Damon felt the pang in his gut that she would choose Jasper over him, but he reminded himself that Jasper was the better person to go with her because he could calm her down before any of them could."

Alice moved to Bella too. "Bella, just let me and Stefan go with."

Lexi was walking after them. "I'm going with because she's my best friend," She said and when Bella turned to look at her, Lexi gave her a genuine smile. "I promise, you're going to really like her Bella." Bella nodded and then they were leaving. Stefan looked at Damon who was gripping the top of the armchair tightly.

"Who are the older brothers?" Damon asked tightly.

"I'm not sure. Charlie didn't know anything about who they were. Renee told him when Bella and Violet were born that she had twins before when she was fifteen. She would never say who the father was. I know that Renee is a little eccentric and Bella had to basically raise herself, so it's not surprising from her end. Now that she's older and married to Phil, I think that being pregnant with twins this time will maybe be different," Alice said, and Damon nodded.

Jake and Jared looked to each other. "We may know something about Renee having twins before."

Stefan turned and looked at them with surprise. "What?"

"Yeah, I heard Billy talking about it one time," Jared said and nodded to Jake.

"Renee grew up here in Virginia, but she did have family in Seattle. She visited Forks when she was younger. Back then people came to the res all the time. Dad said that there was a man from a Chippewa tribe that dropped in with a pale face girl that seemed to be pregnant. Dad was younger than, I think twenty or thirty. What was the man's name…" Jake explained and then was pulling his phone out of his pocket and calling his dad. Charlie had mentioned earlier that he needed to call his dad anyways.

Everyone was quiet when Jake called his dad, waiting for the information they needed to hopefully figure out who the twin brothers were.

When Jake hung up, he shook his head. "No, dad doesn't remember his name. He said he didn't really interact with him."

"How about Alaric?" Damon said finally.

Stefan thought about it. "You know Alaric is Renee's younger half-brother. He may have remembered his sister being pregnant."

Damon called Alaric immediately. It took a few rings before Alaric answered the phone.

"What is it?" Alaric answered. You could hear the bustling of the Grille in the background.

"Hey, do you remember your sister being pregnant when you were younger?" Damon asked without tiptoeing into the question.

Alaric was quiet for a long moment. Damon assumed he was taking a long drink on whatever he was drinking at the Grille. "Yes. She was pregnant when she was teenager. I was 14 when our mom and my dad talked about it. They didn't try to keep it secret, but Renee did disappear with the father until she was about to have the babies."

"Babies…so you knew?" Damon's voice was cold.

"Damon, I was a kid. Hell, I tracked them down- "

"You know who they are?" Damon's voice was louder. Alaric was silent now. "I really don't want to make this hard on Bella. Renee never told Bella, and I don't know if- "

Damon cut him off now. "Well Uncle Ric, cats out of the bag. Bella just found out she has not only a twin sister, but two older brothers that are twins, and that her mother is carrying, you guessed it, more twins."

Alaric was silent. "So, she found out."

"I can't believe you never told her," Damon all but hissed into the phone.

"Jesus Damon, I hadn't seen Bella in how many years? You think that I should have been the one to tell her that she has a long-lost twin, and two older brothers that are living right here in Mystic Falls?" Alaric yelled back.

"Who…. are…. they," Damon spaced the words out and with emphasis.

Alaric sighed and was silent. "Don't rush them. It wouldn't matter anyways. He would see you coming before you do."

Stefan looked to Alice now. This meant that the older brothers had abilities too like Violet did. He hadn't even told Bella about that, or Damon for that matter.

"Ezra and Callum Shaw. Ezra…is Bella's English teacher," Alaric said finally.

Damon hung the phone up and looked to Alice and Stefan, who were clearly shocked.

"Shaw is Bella's brother?" Stefan said and then rubbed his hands over his face and sighed. "Does Shaw know that he's Bella's brother?"

"I don't know, but we will find out," Damon said and stalked out of the room.

Jasper was driving while Bella sat quietly in the passenger seat. He could feel all of her emotions and right now she was just confused and hurt. There was no anger right now, but he was sure that it would come. Lexi lay a hand on Bella's shoulder in comfort and Bella patted her hand absent mindedly. When they pulled up at the manor, Bella sighed. Of course, Klaus' mansion was bigger than the Salvatore boarding house, because Klaus needed to be better than everyone.

They sat there a moment and then Klaus was opening Bella's door. "Little Swan, I knew Stefan would do the right thing," he said, and Bella let Klaus grab her hand and help her out of the Jeep. Jasper and Lexi moved to Bella's side swiftly, but Klaus had Bella's arm looped in his now and steering her towards the entrance. Bella was just moving in a daze. Her legs were a little shaky, but Jasper continued to use his _gift _to help keep her calm.

When they made it inside, he guided her to his art room where Violet was standing by the piano. Her hair was slightly curled now that she took a shower that Klaus had let her borrow. Rebecca was helpful with letting her borrow some of her clothes. Rebecca left he to herself and disappeared because she had to meet up with someone named Jared.

Bella's eyes met Violet's. She could tell that Violet was wearing contacts, but she was looking into her own face. Bella moved across the room unassisted now to stand before Violet. Her eyes searched her face for some time before Violet smiled sweetly at her.

"I'm Violet," she said and held her hand out for Bella to shake.

"Bella," she murmured and took her hand in hers. There was a jolt and then a little spark, but neither pulled away from the other. Before Bella knew it, Violet was pulling Bella into her arms. Bella was confused at first, but she realized that she was fainting, and her _sister _was holding on to her so she wouldn't hit the ground. Then it was just…black.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you CrazyGryl for your review! Yes, and there is more to the twin thing later on. There will be an explanation for it later. This will be the last chapter I post for tonight. I wanted to get a few chapters out so everyone can see what's going on and hopefully make a bunch of people really happy. Please remember to comment, follow/favorite! **_____

Angela's eyes fluttered open. She had been sleeping. She felt hunger pangs and looked over to Ben whose head was hung down against his chest. Now there was another woman there with them. She was older, darker skinned she could see. Her mouth was taped shut, but she wasn't bleeding at all. Her eyes were calm, looking at Angela. Angela's eyes went wide, but the woman only shook her head. Her hands raised in front of her, tied like Angela's and reached over to check Ben lightly. When he moved his head up a little, both Angela and the woman seemed to be relieved when he was alive. They heard footsteps again and Angela started to panic.

A man appeared now. He wasn't the same as before like the one with the dreadlocks. He was pale, with dark brown hair, and his eyes were a dark crimson red. "I'm going out to get food for you." He announced and swiveled his head to look at the new woman and sighed. "Really Laurent." The man muttered something that they couldn't hear and then just shook his head and turned and left them alone again. Tears started to run down Angela's face. How long had they been down here now? She knew it had to be a few days. The other man had called the dreadlocks man Laurent. He brought them water and bread before, but she didn't know if it was night or day anymore. She closed her eyes, wishing that all of this was just a dream.

Edward finally figured out what Carlisle and Esme were hiding from him. When they had their guard down, he had pretended to leave. When Carlisle _thought _he wasn't within earshot, he had called Alice. Alice had updated Carlisle on Bella. _Bella. His Bella _was in danger, and that's really why Emmett took off a few days ago. So now here he was, driving from New York to Mystic Falls, Virginia to protect what was _his. _

Bella blinked her eyes open. She was staring up into violet eyes now. She blinked a few more times and then raised up, Violet's hand helping her sit up now. "What?"

Klaus squatted down now to be level with Bella and Violet, who were sitting in the floor in his art room. "Bella, you had quite a faint," his voice was smooth, and his smile was charming.

"I did?" Bella's voice cracked. Her throat was dry, and it was burning. "Can I have water?" she said and then Alice was beside her handing her a bottled water quickly. Bella drank half of it quickly without stopping. "I'm sorry," she said looking to Violet. "I guess I was just…overwhelmed."

Violet shook her head. "It's a big surprise I know. Honestly, I always knew I was adopted, so when Stefan showed up at Whitmore and then brought me here, I didn't get too surprised. You didn't even know about me, so I understand."

Bella nodded and smiled. She felt instantly connected with Violet. Maybe it was a twin thing? She looked to Klaus who was standing now, holding his hand out for her to take it. Bella slipped her hand into his and he lifted her to her feet. The tingling in her scar went up her arm, and it made her shiver. She pulled her hand from his quickly and rubbed it over her jeans.

"Um. Well, thank you," she said to Klaus and then turned to Violet. "So, do you know who our older brothers are?"

Violet looked at her with a confused look. "Brothers?"

"Oh," She said and looked to Jasper and Lexi. "I thought…" she wasn't sure what to say now.

"You have older twin brothers somewhere that are probably like 5 years older than you both," Lexi said matter of fact.

"Ah," Violet said and nodded and just shrugged. "So, that'll be another project for me. I'm assuming that we're going to go back to the boarding house now that the cats all out of the bag and all that jazz," she said, and Bella looked at her stunned.

"You're not bothered by anything…" Bella murmured and Violet shrugged. "If I worried about every little…" she drifted off and turned and looked at Klaus and raised a brow. "Inappropriate Klaus."

"He didn't say anything," Bella said looking at them confused.

"Oh, I read minds," Violet said matter of fact like.

Bella pressed a finger to her temple, which was starting to ebb. "Oh. Makes total sense." She said with a little laugh. Jasper was standing beside Bella now, his fingers brushing her temple and helping relieve the pressure building up in her head. Lexi watched how Jasper doted on Bella, it made her curious about the man that she heard Damon call Major a couple of times.

"Well, I suppose we should head back to the boarding house. I think I need a very heavy drink and a hot shower," Bella said and looked to Klaus. "Thank you…for everything."

Klaus nodded. "Anything for you Little Swan." He walked over and lifted her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently. "Don't forget about the masquerade ball next weekend." He called and was leaving out of the room. He didn't like small talk and had to address fight breaking out upstairs between Kol and Finn.

Bella, Lexi, Violet, and Jasper got into Bella's jeep and sat for a moment before Jasper pointed the Jeep towards the boarding house and drove.

"I have a Jeep like this," Violet said. "It's white, but I bought a Jeep."

Bella smiled. "It must be a twin thing," she said as she looked out the window. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to feel right now, but she did know that she was happy that Violet was her sister. She always wanted a family when she was growing up. She had to raise herself pretty much, and well, she wished for a sister or brother that would be there to help her when she needed someone.

"I'm here now," Violet said and then lay her hand on Bella's shoulder. Bella brought her hand up and linked her fingers with hers.

The boarding house was oddly quiet when the four of them walked in. Jared had left to go meet with Rebecca and Jake had left to see Caroline. Tyler and Leah were at the Lockwood mansion _talking. _Damon and Stefan were in the parlor with Alice when they walked in. Damon looked up at the other girl that looked almost like Bella. Her hair was different and she wore contacts, but she seemed slightly _different _somehow.

"This is Violet Foxx, " Bella introduced her to Damon. "This is Damon Salvatore, Stefan's older brother."

Violet nodded to Damon. "Yeah, I gathered it was him. You know. I've heard your name a few times…" she said and lifted a hand to her chin in her thinking pose. "Ah yes," she said as her eyes lit up. "Enzo St John."

Damon froze. "What did you say?"

"Enzo St John. He's one of the vamps on campus at Whitmore. He teaches Mythological studies," Violet said and turned her head to look around the room. Damon was the only one looking at her intensely. She picked it out of her head and then nodded, understanding. "You were the other one."

Damon felt anger rise, but he tamed it down. "You don't know anything about what happened."

"It wasn't your fault, and clearly Enzo is alive and well. You had to flip your switch. I get it. Enzo doesn't talk about it much either," she said.

Bella crossed to the liquor cabinet herself and poured herself whiskey this time instead of the normal brandy. "So…you've known about vampires, witches, and werewolves and all of that?"

Violet nodded. "Well yeah. We're supernatural. I'm a Mythological Studies major," she said and looked around the room. "What?"

"We're not supernatural." Bella said.

"Yes. We are. I read minds. You mean you can't?" Violet said raising a brow.

"You can what?" Damon said crossing over to Bella and pouring himself a drink too. This was something that Stefan had left out. He stared down at his drink, thinking.

"I read minds. I thought that you could too Bella," Violet said and when Bella shook her head, Violet tried to peer into her mind and then hit a giant wall. "Interesting…I can't read yours though."

Bella nodded. "Well, that's not surprising. Edward couldn't read my mind either," She said and then Alice and Jasper were looking at her stunned.

"You said his name," Alice murmured, and Bella took a drink of the whiskey, and winced when it burned her throat more than the brandy. "I guess I did," she said and set her glass down. She didn't hyperventilate or feel that twisted pain in her heart. Was she getting over it now?

"I'll have to research this some, but I really need to research our older brothers," Violet said and pulled out her phone when it vibrated. "Speak of the freaking devil," she said with a half laugh and answered. "Enzo! I was literally just talking about you a few minutes ago," she was silent as Enzo spoke.

"You missed class and Lexi isn't here, and I saw Stefan. Are you there with Damon?" Enzo's thick, accented voice sounded in her ears and then Damon was pulling the phone away from her ear and talking now.

"Lorenzo St John. Get your ass here," Damon commanded and then hung the phone up and handed it back to Violet. "He knows where I am," he said when Violet looked at him with an arched brow.

Stefan cleared his voice. "Violet we figured out who the brothers are. Ezra and Callum Shaw," he said and then Bella gaped at him. "Mr. Shaw is my brother?"

"It appears so," Alice said softly and looked at Stefan and smiled.

"Well…does he know about…us?" Violet said pointed a finger between her and Bella.

"I'll find out tomorrow. By the way, it's late. Get your butts in bed. School in the morning. Violet, Alice will get a room together for you," Damon said and left the parlor.

Bella sighed and drank the rest of the whiskey down and then moved to Violet. "I'm sorry that everything is a mess. I'm still in high school. I'm assuming you graduated early which is why you attend college, but I really want to talk more. After school tomorrow I just want it to be just you and me."

Violet smiled and then pulled Bella into a hug. "Sounds like a plan."

Bella smiled at her sister before going up to her bedroom. She shut the door and went to the bathroom and started the shower. She undressed and then let the hot water run over her body. She hadn't realized that her muscles were that sore. She stood under the water for a good twenty minutes before washing her hair and doing her normal shower routine. She dried off and pulled on her blue flannel pajama pants and blue tank top without putting a bra on. She brushed her teeth and the washed her face. She patted her face dry and then unwrapped her hair and shook the towel through her hair as she walked out of the bathroom into her bedroom. Damon was standing over by the fireplace and it surprised her. She let out a little gasp that had him turning to look at her.

"Damon…" she said, and he slowly walked to her.

"Bella, I know that it's been an eventful day for you. There's so many confusing things going on right now with you, but I have to let you know how I feel…" he said, his blue eyes were sincere and were searching for a response in hers.

She let the towel in her hand fall to the ground and then stepped towards him. She put a hand on his chest, feeling him shudder under her touch. Her eyes drifted from her hand up to his face, stopping at his lips. The were parted slightly and his blue eyes were swirling with hunger for her.

"Bella…" he whispered her name and stared down at her as she stepped against him. Her arms went up around his neck as her body pressed into his gently. She heard him take a sharp breath in as he felt her against him.

"Damon…just…kiss me," she said, and then his mouth covered hers gently. She parted her lips, inviting him in. He slipped his tongue inside and played, one hand gripped at her waist and the other tangled in her damp hair. She let a soft moan escape her lips and her heart jolted. The tingling in her scar was spreading through her body now. Her breathing hitched as his other hand dropped to her waist and his fingers brushed the bare skin at her waist where her shirt rode up. He pulled back to look into her eyes. His were still hungry for her, lusting for her, and hers were dilated with arousal. He stared at her for a moment and she only nodded. He moved his hands to her butt and gripped her firmly and then boosted her, forcing her to hook her legs around his waist as he kissed her again before moving her over to her bed.

He lay her down gently and then he moved over her, kissing her neck. She arched against him, her breast pressing into him. He groaned and he could smell how aroused she was. His hands went to the hem of her shirt and pushed under the material. She didn't move to stop him, so he traveled his hand up and over her bare breast, rubbing his thumb over a hard nipple. She let out another soft moan and then his mouth was on hers again as he drank in her moan and pleasure. Her hands ripped at his shirt, pulling it up and over his head. Her hands raked down his bare back now, getting a pleasured growl from him.

"Damon," she breathed his name out. She could feel how aroused he was against her thigh, and she closed her eyes. His hands were traveling down now rubbing over her hot center. It made her body tense, which made him tense too and then he was leaning up, looking down at her.

"Bella are you okay?" he asked, trying to restrain himself, and it showed in his voice.

Bella closed her eyes and willed her nerves to stop jumping around. Damon leaned all the way up now moving to the side of the bed.

"No. Wait," she said and opened her eyes when she felt his weight leave her. "I'm just…. nervous," and she felt the heat rise to her face.

He reached over and stroked her face gently. "We don't…. we don't have to have sex Bella."

She sighed and then turned her head to look at him now. He was laying on his side looking at her, one hand propped up underneath him to raise his head up to look at her, and there was a good foot between them on the bed. She slid closer to him and his arms wrapped around her now. Her head rested on his bare chest. Her heart was still racing really fast, and she knew that he could hear it too.

"It's not that I don't want to do…that. I've just never…" she trailed off.

"I know you're a virgin Bella. It's okay. I'm not going to pressure you," he said softly.

Bella leaned up now, looking down at him. She leaned down and kissed him now, her hair falling like a curtain around them. Her mouth wanted him to explore her again. She really did want this she realized. She was nervous sure, but what girl wasn't on her first time. Damon was being patient with her and so gentle and caring. She couldn't ask for someone better right? She leaned all the way up now and then she closed her eyes before she put her hands to the bottom of her shirt.

He lay a hand over hers to stop her. "You don't have to," he said softly.

Her eyes stared into his before she nodded and continued to pull her shirt off over her head. Damon hissed in a breath at the sight of her. The sight of her was beautiful. Her skin was so soft, and glowing and she moved to straddle him now. She covered his hands with hers and brought them up to cover her breast and then she leaned down and kissed him harder this time. She swooped a hand through her hair to throw it back. She danced her hips against his and he groaned as he sat up with her straddling his lap.

His mouth kissed at her throat and then over her collarbone. Her hands fisted in his hair and then she was moaning his name as he sought her breast with his mouth. "I want you," she breathed out. He had her flipped on her back now as he pulled away her pajama bottoms and panties. Heat rose to her face out of embarrassment, and she started to pull the blankets around her, but he stopped her hand.

"You're beautiful…and perfect Bella. Nothing to be embarrassed about," he said, his eyes locked on hers as he moved his hands over her body, pleasuring her. She found herself arching against him as he started driving her towards her peak. When the first climax rolled over her, he was there suddenly between her legs and was as naked as she.

Her eyes were glossed over with pleasure as she stared up into his hungry ones. "Are you sure?" he asked her again, and when she nodded, he entered her. She felt the first ripple of discomfort and then she was filled with more pleasure. He moved slowly, giving her time to adjust. Her arms wrapped around him, dragging them down his back and he began to move faster. His lips drank her moans in as he continued to pump in and out. She arched her head back, exposing her neck for him.

"Do it…" she breathed out and then he bit into her neck with ease. She moaned again as he drank, and when he reached his peak, they both collapsed into the bed. His weight on her was a comfort instead of a discomfort and she didn't want him to move, but he had to. He left her on the bed and disappeared in the bathroom. He came back a moment later and had a damp rag as he began to gently clean her up. She made a noise of protest, but he stopped her. She was radiating with happiness right now and she wasn't sure why she was so nervous about this before.

"Are you okay?" He asked after a few moments of silence as they lay in bed together, still naked.

"I think we got blood on the sheets," She said in response and he laughed. "I'm not worried about the sheets Bella. I'm worried about you." She turned her head to look into his eyes and smiled, reaching a hand up to his face. "I'm okay Damon. I…" she closed her eyes a moment to give herself a moment. When she opened her eyes, he was still watching her. "I don't know what this means. I'm not sure why, but I just knew somehow that it was the right moment," she whispered.

He nodded understanding and then tilted her head to the side and saw the two puncture marks. "Here," he said and then he flicked his fangs over his wrist and then offered his wrist to her. "To make the marks heal," he said and then she nodded and hesitantly put her mouth to his wrist and drank. She was sure that it would gross her out because she didn't care for the smell of blood. The holes closed and he pulled his wrist away. He then kissed her lips softly. He started to get up, but she stopped him.

"Just…stay," she said, and he nodded and settled back. She nuzzled into him and soon she dropped off into a slumber. He drew lazy circles up and down her back as he felt her body fully relax into his.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you CrazyGryl, JynxxD, and Guest for your reviews! Just a reminder that this is a confusing time for Bella at the moment so she's going to have a wealth of emotions going on right now. Obviously, she has given in to some feelings for Damon. That is a major moment for not only her, but also Damon. He's becoming someone different because of her. Keep reading on to see what's going to happen next. Will Jasper be able to tap down his feelings for Bella, and her too when she discovers this mix of feelings? As always, thank you everyone for your support?**_

Dawn broke, casting a warm glow over the floor through the window in Bella's room. She lay there, still sleeping in the arms of Damon. There was a knock at her door and then Jasper's voice sounded at the door. Damon was awake, just laying there, content, with Bella against him. He sighed and slid away from her and pulled on his jeans from the night before and went to the door. He pulled it open to look at Jasper's shocked expression.

Jasper recovered quickly and nodded. "I was checking on Bella. Is she okay?"

"She is. She's sleeping right now. I'm about to wake her up for school," Damon said calmly, without any lilt in his voice.

Jasper nodded. "I see. Okay, I'll leave you two then," he said and started to turn.

"Major," Damon said and then stepped forward. "I'm not going to pretend that I don't know how Bella feels. I know you know her extremely well and that you have feelings just the same. I'm not naïve and neither is Bella. I'm not going to fight with you, not because I know your capabilities, but because ultimately, it will be Bella in the end. I'm not going to force her to do anything that _she _doesn't want to do or into something that she doesn't want."

Jasper looked into Damon's sincere eyes and nodded. "Alright. Thank you for that Salvatore, but I remind you that I am married and-"

"Which is clearly not a good one if pixie and my brother are locking lips," Damon said with a little coolness to his voice.

Jasper stood there a little stunned at first and then nodded, understanding. He had noticed a difference in Alice and could feel that she was having some confusing, conflicting feelings. He just hadn't realized that she acted on them. He couldn't condemn her because he had done the same thing with Bella. "Well, that's something I would have to talk to my wife about. I'll leave you be. Bella is waking up now," he said and walked away.

Damon stepped back inside the room and closed the door and going to the bed where Bella was stretching. "How do you feel?"

Bella looked up at Damon sleepily. His chest was still bare, and his jeans were hung low on his waist. The memories of last night heated her face a little. Her muscles did feel a little sore…down there, but it wasn't completely uncomfortable. She smiled at him and then raised up out of bed, the blanket starting to fall down. "I'm fine," she said simply.

Damon moved to her and pulled the blanket up for her. He smiled at her and then kissed her temple. "Well you have to get ready for school and I have to get ready to go talk to this Ezra Shaw at your school. We could ride to the school together," he offered, and she shook her head.

"It's okay. It'll be best that we drive separate. Besides, I…" she drifted off and looked down at her hands.

He nodded. "I understand Bella. I'm not going to expect there to be a relationship because we had sex last night. I want you to know that I would be very happy if there could be something, but I'm not going to pressure you…like I said last night."

She smiled at him now. It warmed her heart that he was so patient when everything that he said when others were around was the exact opposite. "Thank you," she said and then he kissed her softly on the lips before getting up off the bed and retrieving his shirt. He pulled it on and smiled at her before leaving her room.

"I see that you had fun last night," Lexi called to Damon as he exited Bella's room. He rolled his eyes at her. "Buzz off Blondie number two," he said and walked past her.

Lexi smiled. "You know, I've never seen you like this with anyone. I have seen how you look at Bella. Don't fuck it up blue eyes," she called after him. When he just put up a hand to wave her off, she grinned and shook her head.

Damon went down to the parlor like normal and made himself a drink. His thoughts were swirling of Bella and last night. Something gripped his heart. He made a grunt sound and then reached onto a shelf and pulled down a book and began reading it.

Meanwhile, Alice flitted around the room and dressed quickly. Jasper was staring out the window when he finally spoke. "Alice, I think that we should talk," he said without turning to look at her.

She stopped and moved over to the window and looked at him. "What about?" she said with a calm voice, but he could feel her nerves jump alive.

"About Stefan," he said simply, and she looked down. "Jazzy, I…" she started but he just shook his head and then turned and looked at her and smiled. "I'm not angry or upset darlin'. I want you to do what makes you happy. Hasn't that always been our policy?"

She smiled at him now and nodded. "It is, but Stefan and then Elena…"

"Listen," he said and then cupped her face in his hands. "Everything will eventually work itself out. I want you to know that I understand your feelings, I've had some other feelings rise up for Bella, and I'm not going to be ashamed of them, and you shouldn't either," he said softly and then kissed her forehead. "Now we should head out to the school. I want to be there before Salvatore gets there and started throwing people," he said, and she giggled. Alice was more at ease now, and he could feel that. There was no reason to have harsh feelings towards someone that he has spent the last seven decades with. They left the boarding house without telling anyone and drove to Mystic Falls high.

Stefan wandered into the parlor and saw his brother there reading a book. He didn't say anything, but Damon knew he was there. "Brother, if you're going to be locking lips with pixie, I suggest you talk to Elena. Just so you know…she saw you two and the honorable original brother picked up the pieces," he said without looking up from his book.

Stefan stood there in silence. He hadn't meant to hurt Elena. He loved her; he didn't want her to hurt because of a moment of weakness for him. He sighed and then turned and left. He got in his car and drove to Elena's, hoping that he could somehow smooth this over. He had to put Alice out of his mind. She was nothing to him, right? She was a little bewitching at times, but he's given Elena his heart, his soul if he had one.

Elena was walking out the front door when Stefan pulled up. Her dark eyes looked at him sharply when he got out of his car and approached her. He smiled at her, but the smile wasn't in his eyes. "Elena," he said and then she was running into his arms. Everything told her that she should hit him and be upset, but her heart would rip in two if she didn't have him.

"I'm sorry Elena," Stefan murmured into her hair, shocked by her hold on him.

"I don't know why, and I don't care Stefan. I love you and I'm not going to give up on us," she said, a couple of tears escaping her eyes. He pulled back from her to look down at her and then kissed her softly. His heart fell. This wasn't right, and it confused him greatly, but he stamped it down and decided to just let it be for now. He smiled down at her. "Come on, let's get to school," he said and guided her to the passenger side and opened the door, letting her duck in before shutting the door and then skirting the hood, got in the driver's side and drove to school.

Bella made it downstairs after a few moments of getting ready. Damon was in the parlor when she walked through. "Where is everyone?"

"Lexi and Violet went to town for shopping and the others have already left for school. Jake went to pick up Caroline and Jared never came home. I'm assuming he's with Barbie Klaus," he said and then stood from his chair and walked over to her. "You sure you don't want me to ride with you?"

She smiled at him. "I'm sure. I'll be fine. I'll see you later Damon," she said and leaned up and kissed his cheek. When she went to turn away, Damon spun her back to him. She hit his chest with a 'oof' and he covered her lips with his, kissing her with intensity. It made Bella's head swim from the passion, but she steadied herself and when he drew back, she smiled at him. "I'll see you later," she repeated and left him in the parlor grinning.

Bella started off towards Mystic Falls high. It was really overcast today, and she hated that it would rain because she was supposed to train with Alaric later today. She still hadn't forgotten that she needed to train her body before the war hit. Her thoughts were thinking about how everyone had come to fight to protect her when she barely saw the dark-haired man with glowing red eyes in the middle of the road. She braked hard and swerved to the shoulder. Then he was there at her door pulling her out of the Jeep.

"This was easier than I thought it would be," the vampire said grinning at her with bright teeth.

"Wait! You're that boy…the missing boy. Riley!" Bella said and that caught him off guard. His grip loosened on her. Then there was a larger man there in a blur. Bella almost didn't see, but it was Emmett! He threw Riley backwards and pushed Bella behind him.

"Bella, I want you to call someone. He's a newborn, and I'm not going to be strong enough to take him out by myself," Emmett growled through clenched teeth.

Bella blinked as Riley got to his feet smoothly. She pulled her phone out of her back pocket and she called Klaus because he was the strongest out of everyone she knew. Klaus answered, like always, on the first ring. "Little Swan, I was just thinkin- "

"Klaus, I need you!" Bella said quickly.

"Where are you?" his voice was sharp now.

"Not far out from the manor, I was heading to school," she said and then the line went dead. Bella looked at Emmett who was trembling now. "Emmett," she said quietly.

Riley charged at them and Emmett braced for the impact, planting his feet as Riley collided with him. It was a struggle, Bella could see, Emmett's muscles rippled as he fought hard to keep Riley back. Emmett threw Riley backwards again and shifted to shield Bella again as Riley lunged and his teeth caught Emmett's shoulder. Emmett could feel the venom enter his body, but he didn't stagger. He had to keep strong until Bella's reinforcements came.

Klaus rushed to Bella and saw the two tangled bodies fighting. Bella's eyes were panicked and full of fear. "Which one?" was all he said.

"Red eyes," Bella choked out and Klaus pulled Riley from Emmett. It took Emmett a moment to realize what happened. Klaus stood there with his eyes burning gold and the black spiderwebs under his eyes. His fangs exposed.

"Well, it appears that they've sent a scout to kidnap our little Swan," Klaus spoke with ice filling his voice. "I'm going to give you five seconds to beg for your life," he said. "One,"

"Victoria has three hostages held up. People that are important to Bella," Riley rushed his words out quickly.

"Who!" Bella stepped forward but Emmett put an arm up to block her way.

"Asian boy and girl and some older black lady," he shuddered. What was this guy? He was stronger than he was, and he was told that newborn vamps were the strongest.

Bella gasped. "Angela and Ben!" Emmett looked at her. "They were missing recently. They haven't been recovered yet," he confirmed. Tears threatened to overtake her.

"Two, Three-"Klaus still counted, obviously not satisfied with Riley's answer.

"Wait!" Riley pleaded.

"Four, Five," Klaus finished his count and then he tore Riley apart. Emmett shielded Bella's view, placing her behind him again.

"Light him on fire," Klaus said, and Emmett moved, pulling a zippo out of his pocket. Klaus looked a Bella who was trembling. He moved to her now and then he was pulling her against his chest. Her arms hands clenched his shirt tightly as she started crying. Klaus had her hugged against him tightly. "Shhh. Bella, I will find your friends. Let's get you to the manor. You need to clean up…you have…his blood on you," he said calmly, and he was right. Riley's blood had splattered when he was ripped, and even though Emmett shielded her from seeing, it didn't shield her completely from being splashed with blood.

Bella's body still shook as she tried to move away from Klaus, but his arms still held her to him. "You," he said talking to Emmett. "Call the Major and tell him of what happened here. I'm taking Bella to my manor. Finish cleaning this up," he said and took one arm and swept Bella's legs out from under her and into his arms, cradling her gently.

Emmett didn't know who this man was, but he was the one Bella called in this time of crisis. He nodded and was pulling out his phone to call Jasper.

Back at the manor, Klaus gathered some clothes of Rebecca's and brought Bella into the bathroom. She was sitting there on the bench still in a sort of shock. "Bella, you need to shower…" Klaus said to her again, and she blinked a few times. Klaus sat beside her now, a rag in his hands.

"I…" she started. "I'm sorry," she said in defeat. She didn't know how to defend herself. If Emmett hadn't been there, she would have been dead, or he could have kidnapped her like Angela and Ben.

"Bella don't apologize for something that wasn't your fault. It's a sign of weakness and I know you're stronger than that," Klaus said and then took her hand in his and turned it over. "Have faith in yourself," he said and left her to be alone for her shower.

Damon was at the school with Alaric. "So, Ezra knows about Bella?"

"He does. Ezra and Callum both," Alaric said and sat down at his desk in his classroom. It was first period and he had this as a free period. Ezra knocked on the door and leaned against it with his arms crossed. He had dark hair like Bella did that was pulled back in a bun, but his eyes were a dark grey. His skin was lightly bronzed, and he was tall and muscular. His light grey shirt was a little tight across the chest and he work dark colored slacks and his tie matched.

"Ric, I have a student teacher watching the class right now, so we need to make this quick," he said, his voice was deep and rich. His stormy eyes met Damon's and nodded to him.

"Ezra, this is Damon Salvatore," Alaric introduced and then Ezra crossed and held his hand out for Damon to shake. Damon shook his firmly and then went back to crossing his arms.

"Nice to meet you. You're Stefan's family?" Ezra stated and Damon nodded. "Older brother," Damon said, his eyes not leaving Ezra's.

Alaric sighed. "This is about Bella Ezra. Not Stefan," he said and a flash of surprise and then understanding crossed his face.

"Well, I see. I knew this was coming, I just didn't have a handle on when," he said and paused before looking to Damon. "I'm Bella's older brother as I'm sure Ric here has told you, and now I'm assuming Bella knows. She also probably knows about Violet and about Renee's pregnancy."

Damon nodded. "She does. It's not easy for her, and I would appreciate it if you and your brother wouldn't surprise her alone. Come to the boarding house to talk it out with her."

Ezra nodded. "Understood. Bella isn't here today though. Is everything okay with her?"

Damon looked at Alaric confused. "I saw her leave this morning heading here. Is Jasper and Alice here?"

"Alice yes, but Jasper left quickly this morning. I saw him running out of here and forcing Alice to stay behind with Stefan and Elena," Alaric stated.

Damon's eyes narrowed. "Something's wrong," he said and turned, pulling out his phone and called Bella.

Klaus answered her phone. "Ah, the fun brother, calling Little Swan."

"Where's Bella, _honey," _Damon's voice lilted at the last word.

"I love you too mate, she's in the shower at the moment," Klaus said with a husky cadence, teasing Damon.

Damon growled and Alaric stood from his desk. "Is Bella okay?" Ezra was stepping forward too dropping his hands to his sides and pushing them into his dark slacks.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, the other Cullen brother is here, and the Major just walked in. We've got everything under control. Don't you worry about a thing," Klaus said and then hung up the phone.

Alaric was watching Damon's face, which was full of fury now. "Damon, calm down. What happened?" Ezra looked at his watch now. "I'm going to call a sub for the rest of the day Ric. I suggest you do the same. We'll go together," he said and left Ric's classroom to make arrangements.

Damon's mind was racing all over the place. What other _Cullen _brother was he talking about? Was it Edward? Did he come back and why was Bella showering at Klaus'? "I'm not sure what happened, but Bella is at Mikaelson Manor," he said and ran a hand through his hair. It bothered him that she had been in trouble and she didn't call him, but she called _Klaus. _

"Okay, that means that she's safe Damon. Klaus may be an original dick, but he's taken an interest in the safety of Bella. She's protected by the Mikaelson family," Alaric said, laying a land on Damon's shoulder and patted it.

Ezra returned a few moments later. "Hey, I called in a sub for you too Ric. Let's head out before the principal realizes what's going on," he said, and they all left the school and headed towards the manor.

"I'm Emmett," Emmett said to Klaus and then Jasper was joining them. Bella was still in the bathroom, but he could feel that her emotions were all over the place. She wasn't panicking quite yet, which was an improvement because she would have had a panic attack by now.

"So, it was Riley?" Jasper said to Emmett as he joined them. Emmett nodded. "Yeah, he went missing several months ago. I'm assuming Victoria has everything to do with it, because he mentioned her name. She has Angela and Ben," Emmett's eyes were dark topaz, he needed to hunt soon.

Klaus move over to the liquor cabinet and poured them all something to drink. "Well, I believe he was talking about Sheila Bennett as the third hostage. She's a witch. She's older, but she still holds some power that can be useful for their escape," he said and drank.

The water cut off now, and they all heard Bella moving around in the bathroom. Moments later, she emerged slowly. Her eyes went to Jasper's first and then to Emmett's. Then Emmett crossed to her and picked her up in a bear hug. Bella actually let out a small laugh when he swung her around.

"Em, I missed you," she said, and he set her on the floor.

"When Alice called Carlisle and I heard about what was happening I had to come protect my little sister right?" He said and kissed her cheek. She smiled at him and reached a hand up and patted his cold cheek. Then he looked at Jasper. "And you, look human," he nodded to Jasper and Jasper smiled, holding up his hand to show the band and the amber stone.

Emmett then went to Jasper and the two were hugging a very brotherly hug. It was clear that they had missed each other dearly.

Klaus moved to Bella's side. "I'm glad you called me," he said and then handed her a glass of whiskey.

"You were the first person I thought about," Bella said and took a drink.

"Oh? I figured it would be the Major or the pretty boy Salvatore," he said as he reached over and tucked a damp strand of hair behind her ear. The motion sent a shiver through Bella.

"Well, you're the strongest person I know and when Emmett said that he wouldn't be able to hold him off long, I feared for the worse and then called the best I suppose," she explained and drank the whiskey. Then Klaus was pulling her into an embrace. Her whiskey sloshed, but Klaus set it down on the small table beside the navy armchair. "Little Swan, when I heard your voice, for the first time in ten centuries have I actually felt fear," he whispered in her ear.

Bella sighed and then hugged him back. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. It was an emotion I don't have often, so stay out of trouble," he said with a small inflection in his tone.

Jasper watched Klaus hold Bella and his stomach flipped. Emmett smiled at the sight. "So, is that who Bella's seeing?" Jasper shook his head. "It's more complicated than that," he said and then answered his phone when it rang. He stepped out of the room to talk to Alice when he saw Alaric, Damon, and Shaw walk through the door.

Klaus heard the three before he saw them, and then right when Damon got to the door, he leaned his head in and kissed Bella softly on the lips. Nothing deep, nothing forceful, but the motion got a growl out of Damon, which satisfied Klaus deeply.

Bella stood there a little stunned, but she smiled at Klaus and then looked down before moving away from him and turning. She spotted Damon, and the look on his face sent a pang through her heart. Then she saw her uncle and Mr. Shaw standing there. It was Alaric that moved across the room to her and hugged her. "Thank goodness you're okay," he said and then moved back and looked at her. There were no marks on her other than the same crescent scar on her wrist.

"I'm okay Uncle Ric. Emmett's timing was impeccable, which is surprising since he's always late to everything else," she teased.

Emmett snorted. "I'm not always late to everything."

Damon's eyes were staring straight into hers. She wanted to look away from him, but she couldn't. She moved away from Alaric and then Ezra was in her view. He had a look of worry on his face too. She realized that this was her older brother, and it was the first time that she realized that he did hold some of the same features her mother had.

Ezra spoke now. "Bella, I know this is hard…" he began but she moved to him and hugged him, making him stop. He then hesitantly wrapped his arms around his little sister and hugged her back.

"It's okay. I'm alright. I understand. Thank you," she said and then moved away. Her eyes connected with Damon's again. His eyes looked hurt somehow, but she wasn't sure why he was so hurt. She was fine, not a scratch on her. He should look worried, but that didn't stop her feeling guilty somehow.

Emmett cleared his throat now. "Well, I'm starving, so I'm going to go hunt. I'll take Jazz with me," he said looking to the doorway where Jasper had returned and was standing.

"Oh, Jasper isn't a vegetarian anymore," Bella said looking at Emmett, when he made a baffled noise.

"What? Jazz, you can't possibly," Emmett's voice was louder now.

"Don't worry. Blood bags. I'm heading back to the boarding house. Alice said that the power went out _mysteriously _and they're dismissing school. I'm assuming we'll have a meeting later," Jasper said, and Alaric nodded to him. _Right mysterious power outage. Alice… _Alaric thought.

"Well, I will not be joining this little meeting, I have a masquerade ball to plan for. I'm sure I'll get the details of said meeting from Elijah or Rebecca. You kids have fun," Klaus said and waved his hand in a shooing motion.

Bella nodded and then looked to Emmett. "You shouldn't go alone anyways. Jasper, can you go along just in case?" She asked and Jasper nodded. "Sure," he agreed and then him and Emmett disappeared. Ezra looked at his watch again. "Well, I'm going to go meet with Callum and let him know what is going on. We'll meet at the boarding house," he said and turned. "Oh, Callum doesn't like crowds, so go easy on him," he said looking at Damon. Alaric nodded, remembering Callum's anxiety issue. "I'll head back with you Ezra," Alaric called and left with him, leaving Damon and Klaus with Bella.

"Oh, Little Swan, I've left something for you in your room for the masquerade ball," Klaus called as he left the room.

Damon shot daggered looks in Klaus' direction and then his gaze landed back on Bella's. "You're okay?" he finally said when he was sure his voice was ready.

Bella nodded. "I am," she responded and then he nodded and reached and grabbed her hand and pulled her with him. He got her to her Jeep when he turned to face her again. "Why didn't you call me?" he demanded, his tone holding a little rage.

"I…" she looked down and then he was pushing her against the side of her Jeep, his body close to hers.

"Why. Didn't you call me?"

Bella looked into his angry ones and let a tear slid down her face. "Damon, I…didn't want you to get hurt," she realized. She knew that Klaus was the strongest and he was closer to her than the boarding house. She knew that Klaus would be able to get to her faster.

Damon loosened his grip on her when he saw the tear slide down her cheek. "A newborn cold one is not going to put a dent in me Bella."

She sniffed. "Klaus…he was closer and he's stronger Damon. I can't…" she pushed away from him. "Let's just go back home." She said and got into the Jeep. Damon sighed and got in and drove them back to the boarding house.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you angelintraining118 for your review! I've had the same internal battle that Bella is having with exactly who I wanted her to end up with. I know some wanted a poly romance, and while that might get interesting, I wanted to keep it simple. Let me know what you think! **_____

The next week went by in a blur. Bella wasn't allowed to travel alone anymore. The meeting concluded that. Someone would always be by her side. Violet even had agreed. Alaric pushed the training even harder now. So, every morning at 5am, he was there at the boarding house in the second living room, practicing throws and defensive maneuvers. Ezra had tagged along. She found out that he was a third-degree black belt in Karate. His adopted parents owned a karate dojo in Seattle and both him and Callum were extremely skilled.

Friday morning Bella groaned as she pulled herself out of bed. She had bruises along her arms from training and her legs mirrored those bruises. She got dressed in her navy athletic pants, and a black sports bra and pulled her hair up in a high ponytail. She pulled on her sneakers and then left her room, and headed to the makeshift training room, slowly. She bumped into Jasper and it startled her. She was still half asleep.

"Oh Bella," Jasper said, and he put his hands on her shoulders and steadied her. He noticed the bruises up her arms, and he sighed. "You know, you don't have to go at this too hard. You don't want to wear yourself out darlin'".

She groaned. "I know, but I have to try and keep up. I'm tired of being the poor pitiful Bella. Ezra gave me my white belt. I think it was to lift my spirits," she said and smiled. Jasper smiled at her and then leaned in and kissed her cheek. Her heart thudded a little fast.

"I uh…." She said and then she took a step back. "Jasper…"

"I know," he said and smiled, letting his hands fall to his sides. "Go on to your training Bella," he said and walked on past her.

She let out a sigh and then ran her hands over her face. She was frustrated with herself. Her heart was doing flips and spins, and she just wanted to stop feeling like she's at a tug-of-war with herself. She took a moment to take a few deep breaths before she finally made it to the "training room". Alaric and Ezra were sparring each other. Ezra had the upper hand and moved so fluidly, that Bella almost thought that Ezra could even be a vampire.

Elena was stretching and warming up. She had tagged along with Jeremy in tow. They were used to Alaric's training sessions. She smiled at Bella when she entered. "Good morning," she said, and Bella smiled back at her.

Ezra moved to the side of Alaric's blow and then suddenly Alaric was flying backwards a little. Ezra snapped his leg back to his side and dropped his hands and walked over to help Alaric up. They were laughing. Bella raised a brow. "Well. Today is going to hurt," she muttered, and started stretching.

"So, Klaus has his hybrids searching for Angela and Ben," Alaric said as he picked up his water and drank from it. "We'll find them. How's Bonnie?" Alaric turned to Elena now and she sighed. "Well, she's tried everything she could, but she just can't locate them. She says there has to be another witch involved," Elena said then took a guarding stance while she faced off with her brother.

"I know Klaus will find them. Violet said that her and Lexi have been wandering around in town too trying to hunt down some leads," Bella said and then she and Ezra bowed to each other.

They started their little dance. Of course, Ezra didn't get hit, and landed every hit on Bella. It was frustrating, but she was giving it her all.

Damon paused in the doorway to watch Bella train with the others. A smile curved at his lips as he watched her fight so intensely. He heard a voice and looked up to see a friend that he had missed for some time. He grinned widely as he stepped forward and hugged the man, slapping his back.

"Enzo St John," Damon said and laughed when Enzo slung an arm around his shoulders.

"I ran into Violet and Lexi in town. Such a quaint little town here, "he commented and the both of them moved away to the parlor. "So, I'm here. Violet filled me in as much as she could, but I think we should have a deeper conversation," he said motioning his hand between the two, Damon grinned and moved to the cabinet that held all the liquor and got them a couple drinks and sat. Damon started telling about the whole ordeal from the start.

Bella groaned as she lay flat on her back on the mat. She was panting. Every muscle screamed at her and told her not to move. Ezra was looking down at her with an amused look. "Come on little sister, you can't be done already. It's not even six yet," he said with a laugh. Bella narrowed her eyes at him. "Not everyone is a karate master. Plus, I have to start getting ready for school, and so do you," she said and reached a hand up. Ezra clasped his in hers and pulled her to her feet.

"Okay, saved by the school excuse," Alaric called over. He nodded to Elena and Jeremy. "Guys go ahead and head out. Jeremy, you're not skipping again today," he said, and Jeremy groaned. Elena laughed at her brother and then looked up when Stefan emerged. She smiled at him and crossed over and gave him a light kiss. He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. She could tell that he was still off about the whole situation. She looked down at the ground a moment before looking behind her. "Come on Jer, we'll be late if you don't move your butt," she said and then brushed past Stefan, Jeremy and Alaric following behind.

"You look rough," Stefan nodded to Bella and he got an eye roll, which made him laugh. "Okay, training has made you sassy. Maybe Violet is rubbing off on you," he joked.

Ezra grabbed his bag from the floor and then stood beside Bella and bumped her shoulder with his. "You're doing great," he said and then left.

"Well, just don't wear yourself down," Stefan said and left to go out to hunt before school.

Bella sighed and walked the stairs to her room. The stairs made her legs burn with every step she took. She wanted to collapse on her bed when she finally made it to her room and inside. She decided a quick shower would do her some good. She didn't even have time to make it to the bathroom when Jasper appeared in the doorway. She looked over at him and smiled. "I know I know; I look pretty beat up," she half laughed.

He moved into her room and shut the door behind him. He was smiling, but he had this look of serious on his face. "Bella, I wanted to talk to you…"  
She looked over his face and then nodded. "Okay, what is it Jasper?"

"I wanted to let you know how I was feeling. I'm confused about…you, and I just want to get this out of the way and hopefully be able to move on if I'm….I'm not what you want," he said and then moved to her and took her mouth wit his hungrily.

Bella let out a startled moan, and then she pushed against him now, her mouth letting him ravage hers. Her brain was completely mush now. She couldn't even collect her thoughts to think about what was happening right now. His hands sculpted her body and her body reacted to his touch. He moved her to pin her against the door, pushing her legs up to hook on his waist while his hands traveled over her stomach and to her breast. She closed her eyes and let out a pleasured sound and a small growl rumbled in his throat. He then moved them over to the bed, laying her back as he straddled her. Her arms hooked around him as she pulled his shirt off. She saw all the crescent scars that covered his body and she ran her hands over him. He shuddered as she touched him.

"Bella…" his voice was strained as he closed his hands. She could feel him trembling. He was holding himself back. It was different for him she realized. He wouldn't, couldn't take it farther. His control was staggering.

"Jasper, I…" she said and then he was kissing her again, shutting her up. She arched against him, and he groaned and shook his head.

"I can't Bella. I need…to stop," he let out a shaky breath, but she urged him on, her mouth seeking his, but he groaned again and pushed himself away from her. He ran a hand through his golden hair and covered his mouth with the other.

"Jasper, I'm sorry," she raised up in the bed and then pulled her knees to her chest. What was she doing? Jasper had Alice, and she had who…Damon? He hadn't really looked at her or touched her at all in the last week. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. Why was she having this battle inside.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I know what you're feeling. I shouldn't have…" He let out another shaky breath. He looked at her face. Her face was tinged a little pink and her lips were parted still. He closed his eyes and then went and retrieved his shirt and pulled it over his head and dusted himself off. He was still so aroused that he wasn't sure that he could walk back to his room with Alice in his state. "You have to get ready for school too," he said, his voice still strained. She only nodded and blinked when he left.

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Get yourself together Bella," she commanded herself and then slid out of bed and went into the bathroom, turning the shower on. She looked at the counter that had the box with the dress that Klaus had left her. It was a deep royal blue. The back was out almost completely, and the haltered top dipped low, but had a dark mesh that would hide the cleavage. It wasn't something that she really saw herself wearing, but she would wear it because what else would she wear to the stupid ball.

She showered quickly and then dressed for school. She made it downstairs and bumped into Violet. "Oh, you're ready, come on. I'm dropping you off at school on my way to dress shop," Violet said, and Bella smiled as Violet linked her arm with hers. They left the house and Violet drove her towards Mystic Falls high, babbling about dresses and the ball. She was Bella's opposite in almost every way, but it made Bella smile.

Saturday came quickly. Elena and Caroline were at Elena's getting ready with Bonnie while Violet, Lexi, and Bella were at the boarding house getting ready for the ball.

"So, who's taking you to the ball?" Lexi asked Bella as she hung glittered earrings in her ears. She was wearing a tight-fitting deep crimson dress that was strapless and had the heart shaped bodice and then it swooped down long and flowing to her feet.

Bella sighed. "I'm instructed, by Klaus, that I'm to be his date for this thing." She swiveled in the mirror and looked at herself. She had dark gloves on that came up to her elbows to help hide the training bruises. The royal blue material clung to her perfectly. She was surprised to see that she was filling out with some nice muscle tone. Training really was making her feel less self-conscious about herself.

Violet snorted. She was wearing a deep purple gown. One that hugged her curves. It was oriental in style but flowed like Lexi's to her feet. Her hair was a tussle of curls now that was pinned in certain places. Her eyes were shaded in a smokey style, and her ears glittered with teardrop diamond earrings. "Well, me and Lexi made a pact to go as each other's dates," she said and Lexi grinned. "You bet cha baby," Lexi said, deepening her voice for play and the other girls laughed.

"Let's just have fun at this thing," Bella said and then grabbed her mask in one hand and reached and grabbed the clutch off the counter that Rebecca had let her borrow for tonight. It was all so fussy, but she wouldn't let her friends down.

The trio walked down the stairs still laughing. Alice was a dazzling sight. She wore a black gown that swooped to her feet too. Hers was haltered like Bella's but her dress had a little sparkle. Jasper was wearing a dark tux with a crimson tie. He really looked exotic standing there next to Alice, who also looked just as exotic.

Stefan jogged down the stairs at a human pace and smiled at Lexi as he swirled her around. "Ah, looking good Lex," he said and then disappeared out the front door. He was going to pick up Elena. He had spared Alice a glance but didn't want to stare too long at how beautiful and stunning she looked. He was still trying to mend things with Elena and couldn't jeopardize that.

Jasper looked at Bella and smiled. He felt her nerves and he sent her a soothing calm. She smiled at him. Damon appeared and her head turned to look at him. Her breath hitched a little, and Jasper took notice of this and looked away. Damon was stunning himself. He wore all black, normal for him, and the top few buttons were open at the top where he hadn't bothered with a tie. His eyes looked over Bella quickly and Jasper could feel Damon's emotion and then cleared his throat.

"Alright, we're heading out," Jasper said, and Alice smiled before disappearing out the door with him.

Lexi whistled at Damon. "Not bad Salvatore," she teased and then Enzo appeared. Violet turned and smiled at him. "Aw, look at you. All dressed up and looking handsome.

Enzo grinned. "Well, I always look handsome. Now ladies, let us take our leave." He offered an arm to both Lexi and Violet and they laughed, snaking their arms through his and walking out, leaving Damon and Bella alone.

Damon looked at Bella for a long moment. "You look stunning Bella," he said softly.

She looked at her clutch in her hands. "Thank you, Damon I- "

He crossed the distance between them and pulled her into a kiss. She hadn't realized how she missed his mouth on hers. How she missed the closeness, but Jasper was still burning in her mind. She pulled away from him slowly and smiled at him. "We need to get going," she murmured, taking a step back.

He watched her turn and open the door. "Bella, I know there's a lot going on in that head of yours. I want you to know, that it's okay," he said and then let her walk out the door to join the trio. He let out a breath and looked down at the floor. He wanted her so badly, and normally he wouldn't care about rushing or pushing her, but she was different. She made him feel different. He walked out the door, closing it behind him as he left. This masquerade ball better be over fast. He wasn't looking forward to watching Bella dance with Klaus.

The manor was packed with about a hundred or so people. Klaus really did know how to put on a ball. Everyone from town was here. Everyone was dressed to the nines, and everyone was wearing a mask. Elena and Caroline were standing off with a few other girls laughing and talking and some of the men had grouped together holding flute glasses of what was probably champagne. Klaus came up beside her.

"You look marvelous love," he said in her ear. Bella turned and smiled. "Well, thank you for the dress. I probably would have worn jeans and a t-shirt." He laughed and offered her his arm. She hooked her hand through his arm, and they moved across the room. The music was changing into a slow rhythm and then he swirled her and pulled her to him. One hand was at the small of her back, right about the material that stretched over her butt and went down to her feet. His touch made her shiver because of the tingling in her scar. His other hand clasped with hers as he led her into a dance, she honestly didn't know, but Klaus guided her with ease. They swirled around the floor effortlessly, while Damon watched, his chest tight with a little anger.

In the crowd Edward was watching. His topaz eyes watched Bella dance around with the host and he tightened his fist. His mask hid his face well, and so he turned, leaving to go outside to get air. _His Bella _was dancing closely with another man, and the way he looked at her made the anger boil through him. He wanted to say it was fair, that he had left her, and it was natural for her to move on, but, how could she? Elijah walked up beside Edward now and held out a champagne flute. "I don't know who you are, but I know what you are. I have a very good memory. I'm only going to tell you once. Leave. If you make a fuss, I will rip you apart and set you ablaze right now," he said lowly and Edward didn't say a word. He had heard that the hosts of this manor were called the Original vampires. He knew that their species was stronger and faster than he. Without a word, Edward slithered off into the darkness.

The song changed inside and then Klaus and Bella walked outside to the courtyard to get some fresh air. Klaus noticed that she was too quiet. "Is there something bothering you, love?"

Bella stopped and looked up at the night sky. She let out a sigh. "I'm not sure what to do…"

Klaus raised a brow. "Would this be about Damon and Jasper?" He asked, not throwing out his silly pet names for the two.

Bella looked over at Klaus, a little stunned. "How did you know?"

He smiled at her and took her arm again and led her farther away from the manor. "I see how Damon looks at you. He has incredibly strong feelings for you and then there's Jasper. He's not as easy to read like Damon, but I've gotten really good at reading people," they stopped and then he turned and looked at her. "I'm not going to tell you its an easy path. I'm quite jealous myself because I fancy you Bella," he said softly.

She wanted to run away from everything and everyone. How could she possibly have made three men fall for her. He lifted his mask up and then slid hers up as well so he could see her face fully. She sighed as she looked into his blue-green eyes. "I don't think I can handle all of this…emotion."

"I'm willing to bet you can handle your emotions, and that you already know what you want," he said gently.

She thought about this. She had loved Jasper like family, like her brother. Him and Alice were always there for her, and she welcomed that. His feelings for her is what made her hesitate, but she realized that if it wasn't for him surprising her with those few kisses, that she would not be so tied up in knots now. She had given herself to Damon and she felt comfort with Damon, but she felt like something was just missing somehow. "I don't know…" she finally said as she searched inside her heart.

Klaus smiled and then leaned down and kissed her cheek, and then the other cheek and then her lips. Ever so softly, and yet Bella felt like he wanted to do more. He showed a lot of restraint. It was different from the man who was feared by every vampire in existence. He was said to be the King of Vampires, and he lived up to that title well. He was ruthless and merciless, and yet, he was standing in front of her, speaking to her gently, and encouraging her that she could handle anything. To have faith in herself like he told her after the Riley incident. So, what did she want? She looked down at the ground as her heart started to beat fast. Her stomach twisted in knots as she lifted her head to do the one thing that she honestly thought she would never do. She lifted her mouth to his and kissed him.

Her heart hammered in her chest as Klaus returned the favor, his mouth opening for hers to explore. Her hands gripped his arms tightly, to keep herself steady, and when the world didn't spin and explode, she eased away. He nodded, already knowing what she was about to say. "While my heart would love for you to choose…me, go ahead. Go to him," he murmured and then she turned and left him standing in the courtyard, one hand in his pocket the other holding his mask as he smiled at her leave. It was out of his nature to let something as special as Bella slip out of his fingers, but he knew better that it wasn't this twin that tied his hearts in knots, but the other.

Bella searched the crowds of people until her eyes met Damon's. His icy blue eyes stared at her maskless face and then she moved quickly through the room towards him. His arms opened as she collided against him. She embraced him hard and his arms wrapped around her tightly. He moved them out of the public eye into a side room and shut the door. Her mouth greedily sought his and her hands was popping his shirt open and running up his bare chest.

Damon's hands pulled the halter clasps apart and the dress fell down her body, slithering to the floor, leaving her bare, with a pair of black lacey panties. He moved to pin her against the wall, his body pressing into hers. She let out a little pleasured moan as his hands ravaged over her body. Her heart was slamming into her chest so hard she was sure that she would burst open, but it stayed in her chest as he lifted her up and then he was inside her moving. She gasped at the little waves of pleasure that rolled over her. She arched her neck as Damon's mouth came down and bit into her. They moved together passionately as he drank a little. His mouth moved back to hers as he felt her start to climax. He covered her mouth to stop the moans so no one would hear her, well anyone with human ears, and came with her as he emptied himself.

"I…want you Damon, no one else but you," she said in between pants.

He kissed her hard, making her lips swell. The knots that were braiding around his heart broke loose and he hadn't realized that this is what he really wanted to hear. What he really wanted the most. He pulled back and then let her slide to her feet. He kissed her softly again and then rested his forehead against hers as he regained his composure.

"I'll have to buy you new panties," he said, noticing the shredded black lace in the floor. It made her giggle. He then did as he did the first night, they made love and flicked his wrist to his mouth and offered it to her. She drank easier this time, and she sighed as the puncture marks closed up.

He rebuttoned his shirt and fastened his pants and then bent and picked up the dress. He helped her slip back into it, placing a kiss on her bare shoulder. "You have made me…extremely happy Bella," he murmured, and she turned in his arms to look at him. She hooked her arms up around his neck and smiled up at him. "Well, I'm happy now too." She said and kissed him lightly. She ended up letting her hair fall down over her shoulders because she didn't have a mirror to fix it right. They joined the rest of the others and her eyes met Klaus' and with a knowing smile he only nodded to her before dragging Violet into a dance now.

The night was perfect now, it was nice to not worry about the impending war, and the possibility that soon, some of these people would not be standing here with her anymore. That war was deadly.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you Guest and CrazyGryl for your reviews! I have to admit it was a harder choice to make than I realized. I was very badly torn with how I wanted this story to turn but I took the plunge. Let me know what you all think! **_____

Damon swung Bella around in a dance as the ball continued into the night. Bella was thoroughly pleased and so was Damon. Jasper was dancing with a very sassy Lexi and actually smiling and laughing at her words. Jake and Caroline were getting closer, and Tyler no longer stared at them with hatred. He only had eyes for Leah. Leah's cold icy exterior was slowly melting, making it easier to be around her. Stefan and Elena danced, but Bella could tell that there was a tight tension between the two. When they stopped dancing and Elena stomped off, he followed her outside.

"Elena, I'm sorry. I don't know what you want me to do," Stefan pleaded with her.

Elena wasn't crying, but she was faced away from him. Her heart was hurting, like it was splitting in two. She was slightly drunk, but that didn't matter to her right now. "Stefan…you look at Alice like you used to look at me," she said finally and turned to look at him.

"I…" he said and looked down. "I don't know Elena. I just…"

"We've drifted apart somehow, and I don't think it can be fixed," her voice cracked a little and she hated that she showed that weakness.

Stefan moved closer to her, but she put a hand up. "I'm not going to just sit on the sidelines and watch you lust after someone else. I really like Alice. I've talked to Alice and she assures me that she would never intentionally break up our relationship. I don't hate Alice, but…I can't be with you anymore Stefan," the tears slipped out of their prison and she scoffed at herself.

"Elena, I can be who you want me to be. I can- "he was still pleading with her for some reason. Why was he fighting this? He knew how he was feeling about Alice.

"Stefan…we fell in love, it was epic, but…it would never last. Goodbye Stefan," She said and turned. She walked out into the courtyard and let the tears continue to fall. Stefan let her go. He was stunned into silence. He wasn't sure what he could do. She was right, their love didn't last.

Elijah appeared next to Elena, handing her a handkerchief. "Thank you," she said quietly, and she pressed it into her face. He slipped his arm around her and pulled her against him. She rested her forehead on his chest, and she let out a sigh. "You know…I knew that it was over, but I still attempted to fight," she said with a small laugh.

"Well, first loves are always the hardest," Elijah murmured and stroked her hair and swayed a little.

Elena sighed. "You're right. They are," she said and tilted her face up to look at him. She smiled at him and then he leaned down and kissed her softly as they swayed. It surprised her and him that he made such a move. He pulled his face away and cleared his throat. "I apologize. It was inappropriate," he had wanted to take her upstairs away from the crowd and just have his way with her, but that would be entirely rushing too soon, and Elena was drunk and in a vulnerable state. She only sighed and put her head on his shoulder again and let him continue to comfort her while her heart shattered into a million pieces.

Alice found Stefan standing alone on one of the many balconies. "Hey, you okay?"

Stefan was looking into the courtyard at Elijah and Elena swaying back and forward and he nodded. It didn't bother him that Elijah was holding Elena. If he still loved her like she wanted him to, then that would have bothered him. "I'm okay. It was over a while ago, we both just…" he shrugged. Alice smiled and then leaned against the balcony and looked at him. "Well, I'm sorry that it happened," she said and then he leaned over and kissed her gently. "Let's just leave," he said, and she nodded. He took her hand in his and slipped out of the manor, hopefully unnoticed.

Some of the guests had started to leave already. Rebecca and Jared had disappeared hours ago up to her bedroom, and anyone with supernatural hearing could tell what they were enjoying because they weren't so quiet about it. It was such an odd pairing, but Bella was happy for both of them. She spotted Kol finally. He had been hiding for most of the ball it seemed. Too many humans in one spot for him. She understood that he could get a little blood crazy sometimes. Damon and Alaric were off talking with Enzo and Ezra about something that she was sure was pertaining to war strategies.

Kol spotted Bella and walked over to her and then did a little bow and slipped his mask off since hers was already off. "So, Bella, have fun?" He was younger than she was in appearance, but she knew that he was well over a thousand years old.

"I did. I'm a little bit drunk, but I'm good," She said with a giggle. It was a good thing her dad and Sheriff Forbes didn't attend. They had their own plans. She was happy that her dad was dating again. It was about time that he found his own happiness.

"Well, nothing wrong with being drunk," he said with an easy smile and looked over when Embry walked in, dressed in a tux like everyone else. Then Bella witnessed something that she never had witnessed before.

Embry's gaze instantly went to find Bella to do his normal, yes Bella is okay and not in danger, but he was looking at the dark-haired man beside her. His eyes were a deep brown and then Embry felt the heat rush through his body and the gravitational pull. This was a very strange feeling he decided, but he crossed over to him anyways. Everything and anything didn't matter now but this…_man. _

Bella was staring in shock at the two. She recognized the imprint look by now and she wasn't sure if she should do or say anything. Was it normal for someone to imprint on someone the same sex? This was bizarre. What did this all mean? Bella was extra curious to see how Kol would handle this.

"So, this is the imprint thing that Rebecca was talking about?" Kol said, his eyes didn't leave Embry's.

"Yes…you are correct," Bella said and then she caught movement out of the corner of her eye when Klaus joined them.

Embry cleared his throat and then looked down at the ground. "I uh…what?" he asked more to himself. The heat wasn't leaving his body and then Kol had reached a hand out and lay it on his shoulder and Embry calmed down instantly. He hadn't realized he was trembling.

"Well this is certainly interesting," Klaus said and then Damon was there joining the scene.

Kol lifted his other hand to tilt Embry's face to look at him. He smiled at him. "Hey, let's go somewhere private. There are little flies starting to gather," he said making a motion to Klaus and Damon. Embry only nodded before looking to Bella, a confused look still in his eyes. She smiled at him as she watched Kol guide Embry to a different room.

"Well, that will go down in the books as the strangest imprint in history," Damon joked, and Bella looked to between Klaus and Damon. "Is it normal for them to imprint on someone of the same sex? I mean there's nothing wrong with that, I'm just confused…"

"I'm assuming that there's really just guidelines to this imprinting thing," Seth suddenly was there beside them and it made Bella jump slightly. "I mean, imprinting wasn't really a big thing back in the day. There was like one imprint per pack. Back then the packs were generally smaller, but I theorize that it's possible that we're all imprinting because we're not on the tribal land right now."

Bella looked at Seth a little stunned. How did he sound so grown up and mature? He was fourteen. "I suppose that could make sense…" she said and then Damon put an arm around her waist and kissing her temple.

"Well, I say let the two lovebirds be and we go ahead and head out," Damon said, and Seth nodded. "I'm going to go find Paul and go on patrol since Jake said that we should start our patrol at midnight to relieve him and Caroline." Seth disappeared looking for Paul.

Violet walked up, a little tipsy and smiling brightly. "Oh, my goodness. Did you know that Finn could drink like that?" She said and jerked a thumb behind her at Finn who was having a drinking contest with Jasper and Lexi now.

Klaus raised a brow. "You know…this is not in Finn's character. He's the broodier silent type."

Violet snorted. "Yeah right. He's opened right up. Maybe you just haven't nudged him in the right direction," she joked and swayed a little. Klaus put a hand around her waist to steady her and she melted into his side.

"Oh, Enzo and Bonnie went down to your cellar like three hours ago to get some wine. Rebecca sent them for…" Violet drifted off trying to remember what wine Rebecca had sent them for. Klaus raised a brow. "Three hours?"

Bella frowned. "Really? Where's the cellar?" Klaus broke away from Violet and guided them out to the kitchen and into a wide pantry and then laughed. "Well, it appears that the cellar door is latched. Someone was in here playing around and kicked the latch." He bent down and unlatched the door. The cellar door was inverted in the pantry and Bella thought it was an odd spot for a cellar, but apparently having a wine cellar in your kitchen was convenient.

Klaus opened the door and peered in. Enzo and Bonnie were hunched over her grimoire. Bonnie looked up at the noise of the cellar door opening. "Oh, thank god!" she got to her feet pulling her bag and grimoire up with her. Enzo stood too and dusted off his pants.

"Well, took you guys bloody long enough," Enzo cursed under his breath and waltz up and out of the wine cellar.

Bella smiled at Bonnie. "Are you okay?"

Bonnie made it out of the cellar and Klaus closed the door down and latched it again. "Well, we were arguing over which wine Rebecca asked for. I wouldn't have gone, but I wanted some wine too and then I didn't want to go by myself and so Enzo decided he would escort me, and then while arguing someone bumped into the door and it latched. We hurt a shuffling up there and then we called out. No one answer. So naturally I look for a spell that I can use to get us out of this. Reading and concentrating around that egotistical idiot is extremely difficult. Like I don't know my Latin," she ranted.

Damon chuckled. "He has that effect on everyone Bonnie cakes. He must like you if he stayed down there with you for three hours because he could have broken the door out. He is an extra strong vampire," Damon said, and Bonnie gaped. "Seriously…" she was clearly frustrated as she stormed off to confront him.

"Well, while that was amusing, I want to take Little Foxx here for another spin on the dance floor before kicking everyone out of my mansion," Klaus said and then twirled Violet, getting a giggle from her before they disappeared back into the main ballroom.

Damon turned to Bella. "Let's get out of here," he said and kissed her softly. She smiled and followed him out.

Back at the boarding house Damon swooped Bella up in his arms as he carried her up the stairs and to her room. She giggled the whole way up the stairs. He set her down on her feet and she started undressing as she moved around the room, his eyes watched her move as she put on a show for him. She was most definitely a little drunk right now. The glow of the moon shone through the window and it made Bella open the curtains to get a better view. She hadn't realized that she had her own little balcony before. Damon went to her and his arms encircled her from behind.

She smiled and leaned in against him. The dress was pooled in the floor at her feet and she removed the long gloves and she tossed them in the floor beside them and then she turned to face him. He backed her up against the glass door that lead out to the balcony and hitched her up, hooking her legs around him as her hands popped the buttons open on his shirt for the second time that night exposing his bare chest. She pushed his shirt down and slipped to the floor.

"You're beautiful," she murmured, and a little hum sounded in her throat as he leaned in and trailed kisses from her neck to her bare shoulder.

"You drive me insane," his voice lilted with husk and then his mouth was on hers, kissing her heavily, hungrily. Her hands rushed over his chest and tangled into his perfect, raven hair as he ravaged her mouth. "Damon," she moaned out his name when his left hand found her breast. Her hands fumbled with his pants now and he slid her down, so her feet were on the floor now while he let his pants fall to the floor. Her eyes were focused on everything about him now. He gave her a suggestive smile as he pinned her again, there naked bodies pressed against each other.

His lips collided with hers again and when he entered her slow, she thrust her hips forward to urge him faster. He restrained himself enough to where he wouldn't hurt her, but he drove into her fast. Her breathing was erratic, and she fought to keep her grip on him. She managed to swoop her hair back and then his mouth was on her exposed neck biting into her like he's done every time. He always only drank a little, never too much. Never enough to make her dizzy. Her fingers dug into his flesh when he pulled away from her to move her to the bed. He smiled down at her impishly before he decided to layer her body with kisses all over. Bella moaned as he teased her, her body begging him to be united with hers again.

It wasn't long before he was answering her wordless command and when they both met their finish, they lay tangled in the silk sheets, panting heavily, and satiated from the pleasure. Bella hadn't realized that it could be this way, but she was glad that she had waited for someone like Damon. He then drew her in against him and she snuggled into his body, fitting against him perfectly.

"I love you," he whispered to her, but she was sleeping. He hadn't heard him, and it made him smile as he played with her hair.

"No, Bella…" Edward sat in the trees as he stared into Bella's room. He had to keep a descent distance because Jacob had patrols running around the boarding house, but it didn't take long to figure out which room was Bella's. He had thought to confront her on the balcony when she stepped towards the window and door and pulled the curtains back. She had looked so beautiful in the blue gown she wore for the ball. When the dress fell to her feet he nearly fell out of the tree. Of course, she wouldn't care about changing by a window when she was on the second floor.

There would be no reason to hide her beautiful body from onlookers. When the other man, the one he saw watching her at the ball from the side as she danced with the hybrid, he learned was named Klaus. His arms went around her easily and she turned to him. She didn't hit him or fight him. She turned to him and went to him like they were…_lovers. _She let him take her purity and then she let him bite her and drink from her carelessly. They moved away from the balcony now, and body trembled with fury. How could she forget him so easily? Hadn't they loved each other? All he wanted to do was protect her from this entire life, of being in danger, and here she was just freely giving herself to a vampire. It was dangerous and she was being stupid. He had to confront her and tell her that she was being dangerous. He had to let her know that he was here now and that he would take her away from all of this danger and just be the two of them. He sensed the minds of Seth and Paul nearby and so he left his post and ran deeper into the woods. It wouldn't be a good time to be found out by the wolves right now. He had to plan before things turned for the worse for Bella.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you HisSecretLover18, munzke11, Guest, kouga's older woman, and JynxxD for all your reviews! It means a lot to have so much support. It's so funny that you mentioned Lexi JynxxD because when I started this from chapter one, JasperxLexi was a vision of mine, but I sort of tossed the BellaxJasper around too. It was a big struggle for me to conclude on what love path I wanted Bella to go down, all the way up until Bella walked out in the courtyard with Klaus. Please continue to give me your thoughts everyone on the progress of this story. **_____

"Can't I wear the same dress to prom that I wore to Klaus' ball?" Bella groaned as she moved around her room getting ready while Damon lay on her bed, his legs crossed at the ankles and one arm tucked behind his head. He was watching her pull on her pants. He was shirtless, of course, and he was smiling at her wickedly.

"No, that is the dress that Klaus bought you. I want you to wear a dress that _I _buy you," he said, putting the emphasis on the 'I'. She stood there looking at him now, her dark skinny jeans fastened, and a long sleeved turquoise shirt in one hand and her black lacey bra she was wearing, pushed her breast up, threatening to spill out, making it hard for Damon to keep his eyes on her face. She had training that morning and so her hair was damp from the shower she took before she had to go to school. She had a layer of bruises up her forearms from Ezra making her hit padded tree trunks. This was _supposed _to make her arms stronger somehow.

"Well, I think that it's silly to own that many dresses," she continued to complain. She pulled her shirt over her head and Damon sighed a sigh of disappointed and she raised a brow at him. "If you wanted a show, you should have said something earlier and not wait to look like a sad puppy when I have to leave in like fifteen minutes for school," she said as he poked out his lip in a fake pout. "You're impossible, you know that?" She said as she walked over to him and leaned down and kissed him softly. "I will see you tonight. I suppose I'll let you buy me a dress. Surprise me," she said and then she felt sick. She hated feeling sick, and so she went into the bathroom as the bile rose in her throat. She leaned over the toilet and heaved a few times before flushing and going to the sink and rinsing her mouth. She put a hand to her forehead to check for a fever, but she felt fine. She was definitely over doing it with training. Damon was staring at her concerned in the doorway. "Are you okay?" He asked as he crossed to her.

"I'm fine. All this training has me out of sorts with myself," she said and then leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"You should probably take it easy some then," he said, running a hand down her arm.

"You know that I can't. Ezra and Uncle Ric are not going to let me just take a break. There's took much that's going to happen, and if I can't at least defend myself, then you won't have a girlfriend because I will be dead," she reasoned.

Damon frowned. "I wouldn't let you die," he whispered and then she leaned up and kissed him softly. "I know. I really have to go now. I'm going to be late," she said and then she was running out of the room before he could say anything else.

Bella bounced down the steps in a happy little step and ran into Jake. "Oops! Jake sorry!" she said as he reached a hand out and steadied her. Despite throwing up this morning, she felt pretty okay and nothing would bring her happy mood down. He was laughing at her. "I swear Bells. You're the clumsiest person I know," he said, and she rolled her eyes as she darted around him to the kitchen. Alice and Stefan were there, standing close together smiling at each other. Alice looked up at Bella as she grabbed a banana.

"Bella listen to Damon," Alice called after her and then kissed Stefan before grabbing his hand and they left out after Bella, jumping in her little red beetle car. Stefan didn't like the car either. Since the ball, there was a lot of mix ups happening.

First, Elena and Stefan broke up, then Alice and Stefan got together. Then Embry imprinted on Kol, and then somehow or another Violet ended up spending the night at the manor…with Klaus, but _supposedly _nothing happened there. Enzo and Damon have been doing the weird bro thing off and on since Enzo has arrived, and then came the call from Bella's mom.

"_I'm sorry I never told you. I just didn't want to hurt you…" _Renee had said to Bella. She couldn't really be too mad because her life was actually doing pretty good minus the whole doomsday hanging over their heads. Alice and Ezra had agreed that the war doesn't start until the leaves on the trees start turning orange for the autumn. Her mom was due August thirteenth. Apparently, the twins could come earlier than that because twin births rarely made it to full term, but they would be fine. She was having boy-girl twins, and she was waiting on names until she saw their little faces. Bella felt weird about being a big sister at eighteen, but she was happy for her mom, nonetheless.

Then she met Callum finally. He was incredibly shy and really anxious, almost like she was most of the time, but since Damon, she's started changing into a more confident version of herself, and Charlie actually approved. He did not approve, however, of them dating and living together, but he didn't say too much about it because Bella was an adult now and she could make her own choices. It wasn't like she could get pregnant or anything, so Charlie's worry was dimmed for now. But Callum was nice. Ezra had longer hair, but they were exactly the same in appearance otherwise. He spent his time with Bonnie a lot reading through grimoires and studying up on what they could do for the coming war.

Bella's thoughts of the past couple weeks were still rolling around in her head that she almost missed the turn to take for school. She noticed Jasper driving behind her with Lexi beside him. That was another story. They were becoming close friends and she loved seeing Jasper smile freely now, but Jasper wouldn't be far behind Bella anywhere she went now because of the Riley incident. Emmett stayed at the Mikaelson Manor spending most of his time playing video games with Kol and now Embry. Damon and Emmett butted heads a lot for some reason, but she never wanted to press the issue. Bonnie made a ring for Emmett and she was surprised at the startling blue eyes that Emmett had. She was so used to his topaz eyes that he never realized that they could be any other color.

They arrived at school without incident. Ezra and Alaric were in the parking lot still, and Bella realized that she got to school earlier than she thought she would. Which meant that she didn't have to rush so fast this morning.

"Bella, how's the arms?" Ezra called over to his little sister. Bella pulled her sleeves up and helped up her arms for him to see the black, purple, and blue patterns on her milky skin. He made a wincing sound and smiled. "I promise it gets better," he said and ruffled her hair, which had her batting his hand away. Alaric smiled watching them. They were acting like typical siblings and he wished that Renee could see Bella like this.

"Do we have to train tomorrow?" Bella asked as the three of them walked into the school. Jasper hung back in the parking lot with Lexi and now Alice and Stefan.

"We need to train as much as we can all the way until the war. You have to be able to at least defend yourself," Alaric said without a smile now.

Bella sighed but understood. Ezra smiled at her. "Hey, trust us. We're not going to let anything happen to you, but in case something gets by, you need to be ready."

"I know. It's just, I'm so sore…" she whined a little.

Alaric laughed at this. "Oh, what I have planned next week will make the tree trunks look like a kiddy ride," he said, and they split up once they got down the hall.

School always seemed to drag after lunch, but Fridays were generally faster for Bella. It was always the prelude to the weekend, and she ended up with 4th period being her free period, so she left early from school most days. She had gotten sick around lunch time, and she was sure she could use that as an excuse to skip training tomorrow, but she left school and headed back towards the boarding house. Prom was tonight anyways and so she had to get back and apparently be prepped for the night. She would never understand the need to gunk up your face and hair and dress up only to go dance with a bunch of kids you didn't really know and attempt to sneak liquor into the punch. It was all so clique and she really just wanted to stay home, but she was being forced to this think by not only Caroline, but Damon as well.

By the time she made it back to the boarding house, she already had a few excuses she could use to get out of tonight but walking into the house and to her room made her change her mind. Damon was in her room holding up a sapphire blue dress. The straps were slim that held up the heart shaped bodice and it shimmered in the light, casting a purplish hue. The skirts flowed down and there was a slit that ran up the side that stopped mid-thigh.

"Did I do okay?" Damon grinned widely as he stepped towards her, handing her the dress.

"Well, it's certainly very pretty and my favorite color," she said and leaned in and kissed him lightly.

"Go change and get it on," he ushered her into the bathroom.

It didn't take her long to pull the dress on. The fabric was stretched tight over her breast, but it was a little high waisted, so the material fell freely without clinging to her hips. The back was zippered, that she managed to zip herself using a bobby pin trick that Rebecca had showed her once. She wasn't sure about doing the whole hair thing, so she just left it down. It was sort of curly today and it wasn't frizzy at all.

She walked out of the bathroom and she saw Damon's eyes dilate with heated attraction and a smile played on his lips. "Well, I think I didn't just do good, I did fantastic…you look gorgeous," he said as he crossed to her and pulled her against him with a quick jerk. He took her mouth with his hungrily, his hands staying around her waist. When she protested when he pulled away, he only grinned and kissed her forehead.

"Violet is here, she insists on doing the makeup face thing," he said, taking a finger and making a circular motion around her face.

As if she was listening for her name, Violet just came on into Bella's room and then stopped, gasping at Bella. "Oh, you look so pretty!" She nearly squealed. Then she was pushing Damon out of the room. "Shoo shoo, I have to work," she said and then she pulled Bella back to the bathroom.

"I don't really think all of this is necessary," Bella whined as Violet fixed her face up with more gunk than she would ever need period in a lifetime. The smokey eye look worked really well for Bella, which Violet would know because they did have the same face. But wasn't necessary was the hair thing. Violet had done an elegant half up, half down style that she secured with some crystal pins that matched her dress. Which told her that Damon had help with the dress, or Violet was told what the dress would look like at least.

"There, all finished," Violet said, stepping back to admire her handy work. "You are absolutely stunning Bella," she said, and Bella smiled and hugged her sister.

"Thanks Violet," she said and then she felt sick again. "Ugh," she said as she went and leaned over the toilet and threw up. Which was surprising because she hadn't eaten since earlier. Violet frowned at her sister.

"Are you okay?" Violet said and put her wrist to Bella's forehead. "You don't have a fever."

"I'm fine. I've been training hard. I have to wear the long gloves again tonight because of the stupid tree trunks," she said, showing her sister her arms.

Violet wrinkled her nose. "Training shouldn't make you sick all day though…"

"I feel fine otherwise. I've only puked like three times today," Bella pointed out. "It could just be the stress on my body. I've had a bit of a headache today too."

"I'm not sure. Something doesn't seem right Bells," she murmured. "Maybe you should tell Uncle Ric that you've been sick today. Rest from training the next few days to recover?"

"Maybe. I might just do that," Bella said and then pulled some silvery long gloves that came to her elbows on and grabbed the new clutch that Damon bought to go with her dress, which was a dazzling silver. She hugged her worried sister and left her there to clean up the makeup explosion on the bathroom counter.

Damon watched as Bella walked down the stairs. Violet had brought over these crystal looking shoes that had a three in heel, so it wasn't something that Bella would break her neck in. He stood at the bottom of the stairs wearing a dark tux with a vest and tie that matched Bella's dress perfectly. He had a corsage in his hand that he nearly dropped as he watched Bella. She was perfect in every way and she was his. She smiled at him when he took her hand and pulled her to him and kissed her softly.

"You are incredibly beautiful, and I'm a lucky guy," Damon murmured, and Bella blushed.

"Move aside Damon, let me take a look at her," Enzo said and spun Bella around and she collided against him and she laughed. Enzo had been incredibly amazing since his arrival. Damon was never really upset or angry. They were essentially as close as brothers, and Bella believed that Enzo was actually Damon's best friend. Enzo did a little dance and then he spun her out and she collided with Stefan who then dipped her and spun her back to Damon. Stefan was grinning at his brother and Damon was actually smiling back. Despite everything that hanging over them, everyone was starting to get along better, and it made Bella happy. She was used to being so alone as a child, to having a family so loving and protective of her that she couldn't ask for anything better.

Mystic Falls Gym was lit up like an underwater paradise, twinkling lights hung from the rafters, streaming down, and everything was done in deep blues, light blues, and some purples, which also meant that Damon coordinated with Caroline since Caroline did all the prom planning.

"Bella!" Caroline rushed over to her and hugged her tightly. "You look amazing!"

Bella laughed and hugged Caroline back. She was wearing a champagne colored dress that fit her every curve and swooped at the ankles for a loose mermaid style. Elena was joining them now wearing a sparkling navy gown that was tulle and silk. Elijah was over off to the side watching Elena with a smile.

"Elijah huh?" Bella said, raising a brow to Elena and Elena just had this innocent look on her face. "What? He's really nice and he's helped me a lot. We're not dating, I just agreed for him to be my date tonight because he didn't want me to come alone," she explained.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Uh huh. I'm sure. You need to have some fun Elena. Don't hold back, go jump him. He's actually really hot," she encouraged, and Elijah's mouth twitched humorously because the girls seemed to forget he had super hearing.

It wasn't long before Rebecca found them, Lexi and Jasper in tow. Rebecca wore hot pink, while Lexi wore black, and Jasper matched. He had his cowboy boots on which made Bella smile. Even dressed up fancy, Jasper didn't give up his cowboy boots.

Damon brought some punch over to Bella and then hooked an arm around her waist. "Well you ladies are looking hot tonight," he said and then kissed Bella's temple.

Violet found Bella and the group easily. Violet threw on her old prom dress because she hadn't really intended on coming tonight. It was a deep purple and it had one strap on the right shoulder. It sparkled and then faded into a light lilac color at the feet. "Bella, can you come with me?" She said, a light smile on her face. Bella smiled at her sister and then kissed Damon before grabbing Violet's hand and disappearing with her.

"Violet what's all this about?" she asked her sister when she drug here through the halls and to one of the girl's bathrooms. She locked the door and looked in all the stalls and then pulled a pink and white box from her purse. Bella looked at the box in her sister's hands. "You know it's impossible right?"

"When was your cycle due?" Violet's eyes were calm, but serious.

Bella thought about it. "I mean it's a bit late, but I've been training a lot, and stress can mess up stuff like that," she reasoned.

Violet shook her head. "I would feel better if you just took it," she said and when Bella raised a brow she sighed. "Please, just humor me."

Bella sighed and took the box. She opened it and took one of the tests out. The box came with three in it. She disappeared into the stall. "You're lucky I actually have to pee," she complained. After a moment, Bella flushed and came out of the stall and set the stick on the counter as she washed her hands. She didn't understand her sister sometimes. She was mildly irritated she realized. She shouldn't be irritated. It's not like her sister meant any harm from it.

"Bella…" Violet said after a few minutes. Bella had been trying to poke one of the pins back in place but was having a hard time with it. She looked over at Violet, who was holding the stick now with both hands.

Bella took the stick and looked down at it. "How?" Was all she could say. She set the stick on the counter as her hands shook. "I don't understand Vi, how is this possible? Vampires…they can't…"

Violet shook her head. "I'm not sure. I know I've read about vampire human hybrids before. They're not common, but it has happened before according to my mythological studies. Honestly, we should ask Enzo," she said and took out her phone.

"No! Are you crazy?" Bella hissed.

"Bells, he teaches the class. I'm his student. Plus, you have to tell Damon too. You can't keep it a secret."

Bella thought about this. "Okay, just tell Enzo to come to the girl's bathroom by the trophy case. He was dancing with Bonnie on the dancefloor."

Violet texted Enzo and a few moments later Enzo was at the bathroom door. "Vi? You summoned me, open the door," he said, and she opened it and he came in. She locked it behind him. He raised a brow. "Okay, I'm locked in the girl's bathroom with twins. Someone pinch me, am I in heaven?"

Violet slapped his arm. "No, we really need you. Well Bella does."

Enzo turned and looked at Bella, who looked sick and sort of paler than normal. "Bella? Are you okay? I can get Damon."

"No!" Bella put a hand up and then dropped it. This made Enzo's brow furrow with worry now. His eyes went to the counter and saw the pregnancy test sitting there. Realization hit him. "Oh," he said with an amusing inflection in his tone.

"I know I've read about it somewhere about vampire-human hybrids, but I wanted to get your take on it," Violet said, pacing around the bathroom in thought.

"Well, it's not common but it has happened in the past. Hmm," Enzo said and them stepped closer to Bella and rubbed a hand over her shoulders. "Bella, calm down. Your heartbeat is going to attract unwanted attention."

Bella took in a deep breath. "Okay. How accurate are those things?"

Violet picked up the box and read it. "Well, how late are you?"

"Uh…like a week?" Bella said after a mental calculation.

"A week!" Violet looked at her stunned.

"Ladies right now is not the time. How accurate does it say Vi?" Enzo continued to rub Bella's shoulders, releasing some of the tension.

"99.9 percent accurate when you're late," Violet said as she set down the box.

Bella groaned. "I don't even know how…. oh my god Damon is going to kill me," she put her face in her hands.

"I wouldn't be so sure, love. You know Damon wanted to have children when he was human?" Enzo said and Bella turned to look at him.

"That was when he was human Enzo, he's been a vampire for what 170 years or so?" Bella looked to her sister who was still thinking about everything, with her analytical mind of hers. "I need to get air. Don't say anything to Damon," Bella said, and Enzo nodded, letting her leave the bathroom.

Bella walked outside towards the football field. It was the only empty space she knew of that was not occupied by a bunch of horny teens. When she got there, she sat down on the bottom bleacher and shuddered. She placed a hand to her stomach and sighed. "How can this be real?" She said to herself. Tears had threatened to spill, but she kept them at bay. She was still trying to get over the shock of it all.

"Bella," a voice called from the shadows. Bella had recognized that voice. It was the voice that haunted her dreams at night, being left in the forest alone, her heart shattering in two.

Bella stood now and faced the voice. "Edward," she said coolly. She really didn't have the time or patience for him. "What are you doing here?" She snapped it out. She felt knots starting to form in her chest.

"I came back for you," he whispered and stepped from the shadows. He was wearing a simple tux, and he still looked the same. Topaz eyes, deep brown hair in waves on his head and skin as white as marble.

Bella scoffed. "Really? Edward, I got over you a long time ago."

"You're in a lot of danger Bella. I want you to come with me so I can get you far away from here," he took another step closer.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. I'm safe where I'm at. I have family here; my life is here Edward. You did nothing for me. You broke me, and you think that it's okay for you to walk back into my life when it suits you? Well, I'm telling you that you lost every right to walk into my life the day you left me to die in the forest and I got hypothermia," her voice didn't crack, and it surprised her that she could stand there without the panic rising. All she felt was anger for the man that stood in front of her.

"Bella, I was trying to protect you! But you go and do something stupid and run back into danger!" His voice shook as it rose, and he took another step closer.

"Stupid? The only thing I've ever done stupid is care about you!" She said, her jaw clenched. "I don't want you here, nor do I _need _you to save me. If it wasn't for you then I wouldn't have Victoria and Laurent chasing after me trying to kill me. I love you, yes. I did. I cared for you so much that when you left, I was broken to the point where I was going to _die. _You know how that feels?" She said and she was the one to take the step forward now. "You don't. You only cared about yourself. I know the truths about what really happened at my birthday party, but you blamed poor Jasper, your brother, and someone who really cared about my wellbeing. You, Edward Cullen, never once thought about my feelings in any of it, and you only did what you _wanted_ to do." She took another step closer. "But let me tell you something, I really have to thank you because now, I have found the love of my life, and he's the one that will be with me for eternity."

Edward growled. "You don't understand how dangerous he can be!"

"Ha! Dangerous? At least when he bites me, he won't kill me! Oh, and my insides won't implode when we fuck because he knows how to handle control!" She spat at him.

Edward's eyes were wide. "Bella…this isn't like you."

"You don't know me Edward, and right now, I'm too hormonal and have way too many things going on in my life to worry about you. So, leave," she said, the fury dancing in her eyes.

He stepped to her, his hand grabbing her wrist to pull her to him. Her eyes shot to him like daggers as she made a circular motion with her wrist, side stepping and twisting his wrist inwards and rotating it around to where it locked it in place, and then she punched him in the face. Every bone in her hand pretty much shattered, but she was too angry to care. "Don't you ever touch me again," she growled this time.

He pulled away from her stunned. "Bella, your… hand."

"Worth it," she bit out the words. Then Elijah was emerging from the shadows, Klaus and Kol with him.

"Ah, you don't understand simple instructions. I warned you, Edwin was it?" Elijah said, his hands in his pockets.

"Bella, Love, are you hurt?" Klaus called.

"I broke my hand," she grumbled.

"How did that happen?" Kol asked, standing there, one hand in his pocket the other down at his side.

Edward growled. "You didn't say I couldn't talk to her. You told me to leave the ball. This is the high school, and not private property."

Klaus' face had a dangerous look as he stepped forward to Bella. He lifted her hand to inspect it and then kissed it before carefully moving her closer to Kol. "Little Swan, go with Kol. You're not going to want to witness what's about to happen to poor Eddie boy here."

"He's not even worth it Klaus. Let him be. Let him suffer," Bella said and turned and walked to Kol, who put an arm around her shoulders. When Embry appeared suddenly, she realized the imprint bond would have alerted Embry if Kol said he needed him. When Embry saw Edward he growled deep in his throat.

"Love, please make sure my brothers don't kill the poor bastard since it was Bella's wish that he suffer. Death would be too easy for him," Kol said and Embry nodded, going to stand with Klaus and Elijah.

Bella's knees were weak now and they threatened to buckle under her. Kol took notice of this and then swooped Bella into his arms. The pain in her hand was starting to hit her and she gritted her teeth. Kol sped away with her towards the school.

He made it into the hallway when Violet and Enzo saw Kol carrying Bella. They ran to her. "Bella!" Violet cried out.

Kol looked to Enzo. "Get Damon," he said calmly, and Enzo nodded, disappearing to go and get Damon.

When Damon made it to Bella, he had Ezra and Alaric running behind him, Stefan and Jasper not far behind.

Bella felt dizzy now with the pain in her hand. Damon took Bella from Kol's arms and looked down at her. "What happened?" His worried eyes looked her over and she couldn't get the words to form.

"Edward," Kol said and Damon cursed. "Did he bite her?"

"No, she hit him," Elijah was there now, with Klaus and Embry moving towards them. Elijah was wiping at some blood on his suit. "She hit him and shattered her hand on his face," he said smirking, looking at Bella.

Damon looked at Bella incredulous. "You hit him?" He asked and Bella nodded, groaning in pain.

"Someone give her some pain medicine, we should get her to the hospital," Ezra said quickly.

Bella shook her head. "No pain medicines."

"Bella that's ridiculous. I'll just give you my blood, you'll heal in a few minutes," Damon said, starting to bite his wrist.

Enzo stopped him. "Uh, let's just get her to the hospital. I think that this is one injury she might want to hang on to…you know."

Damon looked at Enzo with a confused look, but he nodded and took Bella out and put her in his car. Enzo and Violet got in the backseat. Damon looked to Alaric and Ezra. "I'll let you know when we get there."

Alaric nodded and then turned to look at Elijah. "Is he dead?"

"No, "Klaus sighed. "Bella's wish was he live and suffer."

"So, I ripped his arm off," Elijah finished and smiled a roguish smile.

Ezra laughed at this. "Well, the training paid off." He said and Alaric laughed in agreement.

"Oh yes, you two would have been proud. She gave him a what too, and then when he grabbed her, she threw him into a wrist lock and slugged him," Elijah said, amusement in his voice. He had a feeling that the strange man from the ball would show up again, so him and his brother decided to wait it out. "Pity she wouldn't let us rip him apart completely, but it makes sense. Bella's hatred for him is the only thing that spared him."

They all moved back inside to make sure that others knew about Bella's status and that they would find out more information later.

At the hospital Dr. Fell took Bella back to the room, Violet, Damon and Enzo following. "Bella is it okay if they're all back here?" Bella nodded, still gritting her teeth to fight off the pain. She had tears stained on her face from all the pain, but she kept refusing the pain medications.

"Okay Bella, we're going to do an x-ray on the hand. I know it's broke, but we need to know how severe the damage is," she said with a warm smile. Violet sat next to Bella, Enzo standing at the head of the exam bed and Damon was sitting on the other side of her.

"So, just a few questions and then I promise I'll roll you back for the x-ray okay?" She asked and Bella nodded.

"Any allergies?" She asked and Bella shook her head. "Any drug use?" Bella shook her ahead again and then her conscious wavered. She closed her eyes, and then she passed out.

"Oh, well. Do any of you know her medical history?" Dr. Fell asked.

"I do," Violet said and Dr. Fell nodded.

"Any alcohol consumption tonight? Is she a smoker?"

"No."

"Any sexual activity in the past 24 hours?"

"Yes," Damon said now.

"Is she pregnant?" Dr. Fell asked simply.

Damon started to answer but Enzo cut in. "Yes." His eyes looked to Violet, but he didn't look at Damon now. His eyes went to Bella's face. At least she wasn't in any pain with her being passed out, and now she really didn't have to sit through the stunned look on Damon's face he knew was there without looking at him.

"Okay. I'm going to have to do an ultrasound first to make sure the baby is not in distress before I sign off on an x-ray," she said and moved around the exam room, opening a couple cabinets and grabbing a few things.

Damon sat there in a stunned silence. _Pregnant? _This didn't make sense unless she…his eyes looked at her sleeping face. She wouldn't do that to him, he was sure of it. Enzo wasn't looking at him, and neither was Violet, so he could only assume that they knew, and he hadn't. She didn't tell him.

Dr. Fell looked to everyone in the room. "I'm going to have to take her dress off. If you guys can step just on the other side of the curtain, "she said, and Damon and Enzo moved behind the curtain. Enzo kept his eyes down at the ground. He didn't want to talk to Damon about this. This was something Bella needed to talk about with him

After a few moments, Dr. Fell said that it was okay for them to return. Bella was wearing a hospital gown now, but she was still passed out. The pain had to be great. Damon kept running everything over and over in his head. She refused pain medication, and Enzo stopped him from giving her his blood to heal her. How could this be real?

"Okay," Dr. Fell said and rolled a wand over Bella's belly and everyone looked at the screen, waiting to see the confirming results. "Look's like she's probably 5-6 weeks. Oh, well. There are two sacks, and two fluttering little hearts." She said and pointed to the screen. Damon was looking at the screen in awe, there was a baby, or babies in there. He looked back at Bella, his hand reached up and stroked her hair out of her face.

Dr. Fell put the wand away and then took the printed picture and handed it to Damon. "I'm assuming you're daddy. The heart rates are great. I'm going to go ahead and get that x-ray of her hand. I can assure you that we can protect the babies from the x-ray." She stood and left to find one of the nurses to help set up for a x-ray.

Damon stared down at the picture of the two little blips that Bella was carrying. Violet and Enzo looked at each other before looking back at Damon. He wasn't speaking or getting angry. He was just staring, with a look of shock still on his face.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you munzke11, HisSecretLover18, CrazyGryl, kouga's older woman, and Guest for your reviews! Pregnancy for Bella doesn't necessarily mean the end to sexy time for Damon and Bells. I'm looking forward to expanding their relationship, and the others. I hope everyone is enjoying the story thus far. Please let me know what you think! **_____

They didn't have to do surgery on her wrist. It wasn't badly broken like they thought it might have been. It was severely fractured, so they put a cast on it, and they released her.

Bella was laying in her bed, Violet sitting there with her. "Are you okay?" she asked as she reached a hand out and grabbed Bella's good hand.

"I'll be okay. I'm more disappointed I missed everything. Did he say anything?" Bella asked about Damon.

Violet shook her head. "He looked so stunned. I'm not sure what he was thinking because he's developed this mental block, he uses against me now."

Damon opened the door and stepped inside Bella's room now, holding a cup of tea and some flowers. Violet smiled and left the two of them alone. Bella sat up in her bed as Damon sat down next to her, handing her the tea, and setting the flowers on the side table.

"I…" Bella started to say something, but he leaned in and kissed her softly. "Drink your tea," he said softly. "Dr. Fell said it's good for you," he smiled.

She nodded and drank the tea and he took it from her when she finished. "Damon," she started again, but he shook his head.

"Bella, I don't know why you didn't tell me, but I want you to know that I'm not upset or angry," he said and then he saw the tears spill over and run down her face. He pulled her to him and then he lay beside her, as she curled into him, her head laying on his chest.

"I'm sorry…I found out tonight and I got overwhelmed and I went for air, because I had to think about how to tell you," she sobbed.

"Shh. Bella, it's okay. Enzo and Violet sort of filled me in a little bit after a lot of reluctance."

"I promise you, you're the only man I've ever been with. I don't know how this happened," she sniffed.

Damon kissed the top of her head. "Listen. It's okay. There's nothing to be sorry about, and I never thought that you were with anyone else. I know you Bella."

She tilted her head up and he kissed her lips softly and then with one hand he placed it gently on her belly. "Twins Bella. There's a serious twin issue in your family," he joked and that got a smile and half laugh out of her.

"Dr. Fell said that you're probably due around December 21st," he said and then he was dancing his fingers over her belly lightly.

"The war is supposed to happen in the fall," she said worried now.

"You'll be perfectly safe, and now you have a legitimate excuse to get out of training," he said with a smile.

She groaned. "My dad…he said the one thing he didn't have to worry about was me getting pregnant, and here I am…"

He sighed. "Well, I'm sure we'll find out more information about it. Enzo, Violet, and Bonnie are sucked into research. No one has told your brothers, Ric, or your dad yet. They figured that you would want to be the one to do that."

She nodded and snuggled her face against him. She was just so tired; it wasn't long before she was sleeping. Damon sighed and continued to hold her as she slept. He was going to be a father. Something he would have never imagined to be possible in the 178 years he has been alive. Soon, he found himself closing his eyes and falling asleep with Bella, but his dreams were empty.

The sunlight peered through the curtains in Bella's room when Bella opened her eyes. She was curled against Damon still, his breathing was even as he slept next to her, one of his arms over his face as the other wrapped around her. She smiled, watching him sleep made her happy inside. She leaned up gently and kissed his cheek, and his eyes open slightly, cutting towards her with a smile.

"Mmm. Good morning," he said, with sleep still in his voice. He turned to face her now, his lips catching hers softly at first. She parted her lips for him to take the kiss deeper and he did. His hands went to her waist, pulling her closer to him snuggly. She moved her hips into his which got a sexy groan from him. His hands shot under her shirt, his fingers brushing her breast softly, and she moved against him again. She rolled over on top of him and grinned down at him.

"You're pretty frisky this morning," he said as she brought her mouth down to his neck, nipping the skin.

"Well, I'm pretty horny, and I really want you…" she said, her voice layered with husk now.

"Mmm. Well I can fix that," he said as he rolled her, careful of his weight and had them naked before Bella could take in her next breath. It always amazed her at how fast he could get them naked. He stroked her hot center with his hand as his mouth sought her nipple. She moaned and arched against him, her body begging him for more. Her hands raked over his hard body, gripping at his hips as he slid into her slowly. She made a sound of pleasure as he started to thrust inside her evenly, and slow. It was driving her towards her climax slowly, and she wanted him to go faster, but he stubbornly continued to rock her slowly, drinking in her pleasure by assaulting her mouth with his again.

He felt her tighten around him as her body gave way to the pure pleasure and so he moved quicker, careful to not be too rough with her. One hand tangled in her hair as he drove them to their finish line. He came, moaning her name, and then he leaned down into her again and kissed her gently, his tongue tasting hers sweetly. He then placed a soft kiss on her forehead and then her nose.

His eyes were so dreamy, Bella always thought. When he slid out, she made a content sigh sound and then she rolled in against him for a moment. He drew circles on her bare back, and she hummed. "I'm glad that you're not afraid to touch me," she murmured.

"Well, I don't know a ton about pregnancy, but I did ask Dr. Fell about sex before we left the hospital and she said that it was perfectly safe and healthy. Rough sex is obviously out of the question, but that doesn't mean I can't make love to you," he said and kissed her again softly. "Bella," he said, and her eyes swept up to him. "Hm?"

"I love you," he murmured and then tears came to her eyes. "Oh Bella, don't cry," he said softly and wiped the tear away that managed to escape. "I really do love you Bella. I would do anything and everything for you and our children."

"You will?" she said and nuzzled into his neck.

"Of course," he murmured and then she was kissing him hard and then she straddled him as she decided that she needed him once again. She was really lucky that he had incredible stamina and he could recover quickly, something human men were hardly capable of doing.

Ezra and Callum stood in the parlor at Salvatore boarding house along with Alaric. Bella had asked for them to come. She left Charlie out because she wasn't ready to confront that just yet, but she knew that Alaric and Ezra had to know because this affected her training.

Bella asked Enzo and Violet to be present too. Damon had asked Stefan to attend because this was something that Stefan needed to know about too.

"So, Bella, what's so urgent?" Ezra asked as she entered the parlor. Damon was already there, standing by the fireplace with a glass of brandy in his hand. Enzo and Violet stood off close to Damon leaving the seating for others.

"Well, uh. It's about training," she started.

"Well we know you'll be out for a few weeks for your hand to heal," Alaric pointed out.

"It's a bit more than the hand," Bella said as she raised it. Her chest was tightening, and she tried to will herself to calm down. She had to tell them.

Damon moved to her now, placing a hand on her shoulder to reassure her silently. He gave her a small smile and she looked up into his eyes before nodding and then taking a deep breath.

"I can't do training anymore period," she began, and Alaric interrupted. "Bella, your hand will heal. The training is what helped you with Edward."

"It's not that I don't want to do the training, it's just I can't. This is really difficult for me, but you all need to know because this changes everything," she continued to explain. "I'm still unsure how this was even a possibility, but I'm pregnant," she rushed the last of her words out.

Ezra and Callum didn't move, didn't even seem to breathe. Alaric opened his mouth to say something but closed it and then ran a hand through his hair. Stefan was equally as speechless and then he sat down, deep in thought now.

"We're researching it thoroughly. While I've heard of vampire-human hybrids, I'm still trying to pinpoint the exact origin," Enzo said into the silent room.

"It's twins," Bella blurted next, her eyes going to Ezra, her heartrate rising as the anxiety rose.

"When are you due?" It wasn't Ezra that spoke, but Callum.

"December 21st," Damon said when Bella couldn't get the words out.

Ezra nodded, looking at the ground and then crossed over to Bella and gave her a light tug, pulling her into an embrace. The tears started falling now, and they soaked the front of his shirt. "Hey, it's okay. I'm going to assume these are happy tears because you shouldn't be sad about this Bella," he coaxed.

"I am happy," she said into his chest. "I'm just…scared?" She said and pulled away to be crushed into a hug by Callum now. It was unlike him, but he needed to show her that he was there for her and then Alaric was cradling her to him too.

"Bella, I know that you are scared. I know that this is something that none of us would have thought to happen, but it has, and we're just going to take each day as it comes. When the war starts, you'll be well protected, and then I'll welcome to great nieces or nephews into this world and they will equally as be protected if not more," Alaric's voice was calming and soothing.

Stefan finally looked up at his brother. His brother was watching Bella with a look that he'd never seen in him before. It was far more than love or adoration. He knew then that his brother was happy. He realized that's what he's always wanted his brother to be, happy. He stood then and walked over and gave his brother a big, back slapping hug. "Congrats brother. I know before becoming what we are, you wanted to be a father. You'll be a great one," he said and then Damon hugged him back with such force, Stefan thought he would crush him.

"I don't know what to tell Charlie," Bella said as she sat down on the couch in front of the fireplace now, a small chill coming over her.

Alaric thought about it a moment. "Well, I think that honesty is always the best bet with Charlie. I know he worries about you greatly, and this will make him worry more, but I suggest waiting a few more weeks because well, he's asking Liz to marry him tomorrow, and I seriously don't think this is something we should be dropping on him when he's already so worried and nervous about Liz's answer."

"Oh wow! That's so great!" Bella said. "I knew that they hit it off great. They've known each other for years now, it's just so perfect."

The front door opened and closed, and Jake and Jared came through the door. "Bells! I heard about your wicked right cross," Jake said beaming as he crossed to give her quick hug. She smiled at him as she waved her casted hand up. "Yeah, but it's like the time I hit you in your face and broke my hand."

"Wait, you broke your hand hitting Jake?" Jared asked.

"Yeah, well it's a long story," Bella muttered, and Jake snickered.

"To be honest, it was my fault, but it is a long story," Jake said and then looked around the room noticing Ezra and Callum. "Oh, is there a meeting or something?

"Well, how'd you like to be a godfather?" Bella asked, raising a brow.

Jake looked at her strangely. "What? Godfather as in the movie?"

Damon placed a hand on Jake's shoulder now. "No wolfboy. Why would Bella ask you about the movie?"

Jake looked from Damon to Bella and then around the room.

"Ohhhh," Jared said, understanding exactly what Bella meant, but Jake still looked baffled. "Bro, Bella's having a baby and she's asking you to be the godfather dumbass."

"Wait what?" Jake pulled away from Damon to face him completely. "How?"

"I'm special," Damon smirked.

Bella smiled. "Well, we're not quite sure about it, but they're in there."

"They're? As in two?" Jake said, his face still shocked and bewildered.

"If you don't give her an answer, I'm going to take on the role," Jared winked at Bella and walked over and gave her an exaggerated kiss on the cheek.

"Wait, no. I mean, yes! I'll be the godfather. Jesus Jared, give me minute to process," Jake grumbled and then moved to Bella and kissed the top of her head.

Stefan moved to Bella now, pulling her up into an embrace. Bella smiled as she hugged Stefan back. She was finally at peace with Stefan. At first, she wasn't entirely sure about him.

The front door opened again, and a trio of voices emerged as Elena, Caroline, and Lexi came into the parlor. Elena saw Stefan hugging Bella tightly and that it seemed that a meeting was going down. "Uh, hi guys." Elena called out, and Bella pulled away from Stefan and smiled at the three that joined.

"Oh, Bella are you feeling better?" Lexi asked, looking at her hand.

Damon sighed. "You know this is going to be a never-ending Bella. We should send out a group text and tell everyone at one time so we're not stuck repeating this over and over again."

Caroline raised a brow at Damon, but she crossed over to Jake and leaned in and gave him a kiss. "What's wrong?" She asked when she got a look of his face clearly. "You look like you're a little out of it."

Jared laughed a deep laugh. "Oh boy, is he out of it."

Bella sighed. "Damon's right, this will be never-ending, but I don't think texting is appropriate to share the news. Caroline, I'm pregnant, twins, and I'm due December 21st. If you could kindly tell everyone except your mom and my dad, that would be amazing," she said. Caroline would be the best person to spread that around the quickest.

Elena gaped at her. "Wait, what? How?"

"We don't know, but we're not going to worry about it right now. We're going to just keep living," Damon said and then pulled Bella in for a hug. "Now, I'm going to take my woman back upstairs so she can rest, because she is exhausted." He said, pulling her out of the parlor and up the stairs back to bed. Bella didn't protest because he was right, she did feel exhausted.

It didn't take long for everyone to find out about the miracle Bella was carrying. Caroline was thorough. It only took her a week to spread the news, and her dad was still in the dark. She felt bad about it, but what more could she do. She needed to give him time to be happy at his recent engagement to Liz. They were planning on a wedding in July, before the war and after graduation. Which was something else to worry about. Bella had been accepted into Whitmore College. She wanted to be a teacher, and she knew that she could accomplish that, going to Whitmore. Graduation was only a few weeks away, and Bella was excited to put it behind her so she could focus on the summer. Damon was the perfect boyfriend. All of her weird cravings she's had so far, he had gone out of his way to supply.

Sometimes it was Stefan and sometimes Jasper too that was having to do Damon's bidding, but they didn't seem to mind so much if it was for her. Callum had joined in the effort to research the vampire-hybrid deal.

Bella was nervous because today was the day Carlisle and Esme were coming to see her. It had been since her last birthday that she had seen them.

When Carlisle and Esme arrived, Jasper welcomed them at the door. They were both stunned by Jasper's new appearance. Esme touched Jasper's face to make sure he was real.

"Esme, it really is me, Bonnie is an amazing witch," he explained as he showed them to the parlor where Bella was sitting texting Emmett to let them know that his "parents" had arrived.

Bella stood when Esme made it over to her, pulling her in to a long embrace. "Oh Esme, I've missed you," Bella whispered.

"As have I sweet daughter," Esme said, running a hand over Bella's hair.

"I texted Em to let him know you were here. He's at Mikaelson Manor with Kol," she explained but Esme looked at her quizzically. "Oh, sorry. Em doesn't live here with the rest of us. Him and Damon don't get along for some weird reason, but I'm almost willing to bet he just likes the manor better. Klaus' attitude should have run him off a long time ago, but so far, he's stuck it out," she joked.

Esme still looked confused, but she smiled. Carlisle hugged Bella next. "I'm glad you're doing well. I brought the portable ultrasound machine with me. This is something that I've heard about in the past, I'll give Violet my notes later, because I'm sure they'll help them with whatever they need."

Violet had been the one to reach out to Carlisle for Bella. She knew that her sister was going to need a doctor that would be privy to the fact that the twins Bella was carrying were not completely human. Carlisle set up the machine and had Bella lay out on the couch. Damon appeared now, smiling to Bella and leaning down to give her a quick kiss before grabbing her hand and looking at the screen.

Esme watched how gentle Damon was with Bella and how happy she was, and it made Esme feel so full of joy. It didn't take long for Carlisle to find the two little blips. The heart rates were still so strong. Damon still looked at it with wonder, and Bella was finally able to witness this joy since she was passed out the first time.

"So, I think Dr. Fell's first assessment was right. You're approximately seven and a half weeks. Growth looks good. I want to do another ultrasound next week to get some more measurements to be sure the growth rate. How have you been feeling? Any symptoms?"

"Morning sickness definitely, headaches from time to time, I have to pee a lot, which makes no sense, but I guess it just goes along with it," Bella explained, and Carlisle nodded. "Good, well, we're staying at one of the hotels in town. We'll be staying here for a while, so we're looking to buy that one house closer to the Mikaelson Manor. The name of the road escapes me, but we'll get you the address once all that paperwork is finalized," he said with a smile and then patted her hand before standing.

"Thank you, Carlisle," Damon said and reached to shake his hand. Carlisle took his with a firm grip and smiled. "Congrats Damon," he said and then him and Esme were taking their leave.

Jasper smiled at Bella and Damon before leaving the parlor to let them have some privacy. He ran into Lexi; his hand went out to steady her. "You know for a couple of vampires, we do run to each other a lot," Lexi pointed out. Jasper let out a chuckle.

"I reckon that's true. You up for a drink?"

"Hell yeah," She said and looped her arm in his. They left the boarding house to head to the Grille to get a drink together.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you Guest, kouga's older woman, rooske01, munzke11 for your reviews! I have to apologize for not updating the past two nights, I'm a senior in College right now close to my finals, and so I had to focus for a couple of days, then I have work and kids and husband that sometimes draws my attentions away from writing. As always, thank you so much for all the support! **_____

"Alec…. Aro is planning something, and I don't know what it is. I believe it has to do with the impending war brewing in Virginia right now," Jane's hushed voice spoke to her twin quickly.

Alec looked at his sister for a few moments before sighing. "He is. I've heard Caius and him speaking about it. They sent Demetri to scout and he returned saying that it has to do with Isabella Swan. That a nomadic vampire by the name of Victoria is leading the charge."

Jane's expression was sober and unmoving now as she looked at her brother. When the Cullen boy that could read minds first came to Italy speaking about Bella, Jane had instantly known that he was talking about _their _Bella. _Their _descendant and _their _family. "Alec…what are they going to do to her?"

"Kill her," Alec said, his gaze falling to the floor. "If they kill Bella, it might put an end to Victoria's tirade."

"But it won't, killing her doesn't prove anything," Jane's expression broke. "We need to talk to Eleazar about this. He has to know that she's in danger."

Alec was quiet for a while. He looked up at his sister, understanding what should be done and nodded. "I think we need to officially let Bella know…. what her heritage entails, and where her bloodline began."

"How? It's not like we can leave the Volturi brother."

"We can, and we'll do so with Marcus' help."

Jane's eyes widened in shock. "Marcus would help?"

"He will because he doesn't agree with Aro." Alec took his sisters hand in his. "We should leave in a week's time." Jane only nodded at her brother, and then they were joining the rest of their _family. _

"Witchcraft is not an exact science!"

"No one said it was an exact science, but I believe, _**love,**_ that you can do better than what you're doing now?"

"Do **NOT **call me love, I do not belong to you Lorenzo St. John," Bonnie's voice lashed out at him like a rattlesnake. Enzo put both hands up as to surrender.

"Okay okay, sheesh, hotheaded much," he muttered before moving around the parlor to pour himself a drink.

Damon came down to the raised voices. "What's the matter Bon Bon, is Enzo bothering you?"

"Yes, please take this idiot and get him out of my sight. I can't concentrate with him hovering around trying to correct my Latin and telling me I'm doing it wrong," she hissed.

"Okay Enzo, leave witchy woo alone, go get dinner or something," Damon said and made a shooing motion with his hand as he poured himself a drink. Enzo rolled his eyes and left the parlor. "Bonnie," Damon's voice was sober and serious. "You're overdoing it. You're bleeding," he nodded and walked over to her, handing her a handkerchief.

"Oh, I didn't realize…" she said and took the handkerchief and dabbed at her nose. "I have to get this spell down Damon. If I can create a barrier around Mystic Falls, then maybe…" she drifted off.

"It's not that important," Damon started, and her eyes snapped up to him. "It is important Damon, Bella's twins? Bella? I can't let anything happen to them! "

Damon took a hold of Bonnie now by the shoulders and looked her into her hazel eyes, a serious expression still plastered to his face and then he jerked her into a hug. "Bonnie, I know you wouldn't let anything happen to Bella, or my children she's carrying, but you are far too important to me for you to put yourself through this. Take a break, and we'll revisit it later," he said and when she sighed and relaxed into his arms, he kissed the top of her head.

She looked up at him, wondering when she found an older brother in him after everything that he's done. She used to despise him for what he is, but he's changed significantly that she can't help but to care about this man standing in front of her. She smiled. "Thanks," she murmured, and he released her.

"If you tell anyone that I'm sensitive and nice though, I'll have to kill you," he said with his trademark wicked smile. She only rolled her eyes at him as she closed the grimoire and sighed.

All has been quiet lately on the home front. No random attacks, and then there was still the matter of Angela, Ben, and Sheila. They were still missing, or even dead for all they knew. Enzo and Lexi had been going out pretty routinely looking around with the help of Violet and Emmett. Jasper ran down to Texas to meet up with some family of his that he made before he had come to the Cullen's. Someone called Peter and Charlotte Whitlock. He promised to be back before graduation, he kind of had to if he wanted to graduate. It was now the second week in May, and that put Bella at ten weeks pregnant now, and put her mom at 30 weeks.

That talk didn't go as badly as Bella had thought it would.

"_Dad…Uncle Ric, so there's something that me and Damon need to tell you." _

_Her dad's expression was neutral as he looked from Damon to Bella. _

"_You're getting married?" her dad had asked, with a smile on his face. Alaric had seemed impressed and had seemed happy as well._

"_That will come eventually," Damon had said._

"_That's not it…. we're pregnant…" Bella hesitated over the words, her heart slamming inside her chest so hard that she thought that it would just burst right out of her chest. _

_The expression was shock. "I thought…. I thought that vampires can't…" Charlie had muttered._

"_We're unsure how it happened. Callum, Bonnie, and Enzo have been researching it." Damon had said and met Alaric's gaze, who seemed just as stunned._

"_So….is Bella going to be okay? I mean be okay to carry the uh…."_

"_Twins," Bella's voice was hoarse._

"_Twins?" Alaric repeated and then ran a hand through his dusty brown, blonde hair._

"_Yes, twins. Carlisle has flown in and has checked her out. She's perfectly healthy, the babies are healthy, and he's keeping a close eye on her," Damon assured._

"_Dr. Cullen is here?" Charlie's eyes snapped to Damon's._

"_He is, and he's staying for a while. With everything that is happening, we saw that it was important that all of our resources and allies stay close for now," Damon continued to keep his voice even, and calm, hoping that would calm Charlie._

_Alaric sighed and then reached for Bella and pulled her in for a hug. "I'm scared for you Bella, but…. I'm here for you always." He kissed the top of her head._

_Charlie looked at his daughter, who was his baby girl, his shining star, his everything. Here he was getting remarried, taking on another daughter, who was a vampire, and now his own baby daughter was having babies that were half her…half…vampire. His eyes went to Damon. A good man, and someone he deeply respected. He was abrasive at times with others, but he treated Bella so gentle and doted on her for everything and always built her up. He couldn't ask for a better man. Tears sprang to his eyes, and he wiped at them. _

"_Well, I can't believe I'm going to be a grandpa, but I can't help but be happy for you two. Damon, I love you son," he said, his voice cracking. _

_Damon's look on his face was priceless and was even better when Charlie pulled him into a firm embrace. Alaric had grinned at his friend before slapping him on the back. "Congrats man! You got the girl, and you're going to be a father."_

_Bella's tears were uncontrollable by that point as she watched the three most important men in her life embrace each other, with tears and joy. _

The weirder conversation was Bella's conversation with her mom.

"_Oh Bella! That's so wonderful! But now you're making me feel so old!" Renee had giggled into the phone. "I'm coming up to Virginia to visit after graduation. Phil has a game that week, and I can't drive myself, and I'm not allowed on planes right now! But I want to see you my gorgeous daughter before your sister and brother get here!"_

Bella had known that Phil was always a priority in her life and knew that it would have been some reason for her to miss graduation, but it was okay, because she understood the importance of carrying a child now.

Bella walked out on her personal balcony to look at the sunsetting, an orange glow against a purple-blue sky. The stars were starting to make their appearance in the sky when Carlisle found her. "Hey Bella, are you ready to take another peek at the little ones?" His voice was calming and soothing. Bella turned and smiled as she followed him back to her room. Damon came in with Violet beside him.

Carlisle had her lay on the bed as he rolled the wand from the portable ultrasound machine, across her belly. The two little hearts were bigger blips now on the screen. He did some measurements and some calculations silently in his head as Bella, Violet, and Damon stared in awe at the screen.

"So, definitely moving at a slightly more than human pace. You're ten weeks, but I'd place the fetuses at twelve. This isn't a big cause for concern. Babies do grow at faster rates sometimes even in humans. My main concern is making sure your iron levels are high, and that you are resting plenty, and keeping hydrated. I got the labs back from the DNA panel that you two requested, and it looks like you're having twin girls, but your iron is slightly low," Carlisle said.

Bella and Damon looked at each other, her smile wide and big. "Girls Damon," she cooed.

Damon leaned down and kissed her softly. "I heard him. I already know they're going to be the death of me."

Violet chuckled. "Twin girls, like us Bells. This is so exciting." She was slightly jealous of her sister because the odds of her being able to be a mother later in life was really slim because there's no telling how her and Damon got into this. Although she wasn't betting on Klaus to be in her life permanently, but she was enjoying him for the time being. Until he or she got bored anyways.

"Well, I'm still diving into some research about it all. I called Eleazar last week to inquire if he has heard of anything of the sorts, and he said that he hasn't, but he would call me if he found something," Carlisle said.

"Well, what's important is Bella is healthy and the girls are healthy," Damon said and then shook Carlisle's hand when he left. "We're doing this Bella," his voice was gentle. "Girls." He looked dumbstruck now.

Another week flew by without incident. Bella was starting to show, her little pooch making all of her pants not fit. She groaned and went with a pair of light blue leggings and a tunic shirt. She was hoping that she could hide it a bit longer until after graduation. She rubbed her hand over her belly several times, smiling at her reflection. She did look good. She was glowing, and the morning sickness had stopped hitting her so hard once Carlisle prescribed her some medicine for that. She gave her girls a little pat before heading downstairs. She was debating going to school. Alaric and Ezra spoke to the other two teachers about her being able to do a lot of her work from home because she was sick a lot lately and they had agreed since Ezra and Alaric had been allowing her to do so. But she wanted to make an appearance from time to time she thought. She wondered where everyone was when she came downstairs and it was quiet. "That's odd," she said to herself and then there was knock at the front door.

She went to open it. She saw two figures in dark grey robes standing in front of her. Her hand instinctively went to her belly and she took a step back. "Um, I'm sorry, who are you?"

They moved their hoods back to reveal bright crimson eyes. The girl was paper pale, her blonde hair pulled back in a tight bun. She was tiny, shorter than Alice by a good foot and she looked young, maybe fourteen or fifteen. The other was taller than the blonde and had dark brown hair that was longer, shaggy to his ears. His eyes matched the girls.

"Bella," the girl started, and Bella took another step back. The two stood still, not advancing on her. "We mean you no harm. I am Jane Volturi, and this is my twin brother Alec." Her voice was high pitched, but not as high as Victoria's was, and she held a calm, neutral expression.

"How do I know you're not here to kill me?"

"If we wanted to kill you, you would have been dead already," Alec pointed out.

Bella looked behind her for assistance and when Enzo appeared from the basement he stopped, taking a defensive stance in front of Bella. "Damon," he said his name quickly with a hiss and Damon was there a moment later.

Jasper could feel the emotions going on towards the boarding house as he approached with Peter and Charlotte in tow. He spotted the Volturi capes and flashed to behind them. "Identify yourselves," Jasper's strong, Texan voice rang out. Peter and Charlotte automatically flanked to his sides, forming a defensive position.

Alec and Jane turned to Jasper and his posse now and the recognition on Jasper's face showed.

"Alec and Jane," he said and nodded. "What brings you to Virginia?" He moved closer, at an easy pace now. He could tell that the twins were calm for the moment, but he didn't want to go up against both at the same time. They were capable of taking anyone down, no matter now good or how big they were.

"Major, it's good to see you again," Jane's singsong voice called out. "We're not here to harm. In fact, we've come to talk with Bella."

Damon growled. "The hell you are," he said, and Jasper's eyes cut to Damon's, warning him.

"What is it you need to speak to her about?" Jasper said calmly, but the clouds started shifting, the sunlight starting to make its debut. Jane and Alec instinctively moved closer to the shadows, and that's when Bella cleared her throat. "Let's move this inside, Jane and Alec don't want to be caught in the sun."

Damon and Enzo's gaze went to Bella's now. "Bella," Damon started to protest.

"I think that's a mighty fine idea," Peter spoke up. "Me and Char don't have fancy rings and I would rather not put on a disco show out here."

Enzo nodded to Damon and they stepped aside, pulling Bella behind them as they allowed the Volturi twins and Pete and Char to join.

Bonnie came up from the basement at Damon's request in case she had to use her witchy powers, as Damon puts it, on the Volturi twins.

"Okay, we're inside. What is it you want with Bella," Jasper continued with an even tone. He could sense Bella's anxiety and he pushed calming emotions towards her.

"Bella…. you're pregnant," Jane's voice was a murmur and her eyes widened, looking at her brother. "It is true Alec," she said, and Alec only nodded.

"What do you mean?" Damon barked.

Jane's eyes went to Damon and then to Bella. "I know you don't trust us, but we are not going to hurt you or your children. Aro and Caius are planning something big with the coming war. He plans on killing Bella. We came to protect you."

"Why would you want to protect her?" Jasper asked again.

"Because…. she's our family," Jane said with a light smile.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you munzke11, CrazyGryl, and Bookloverz22 for your reviews! I'm so excited that everyone is still enjoying the fic so far. I have a lot of great things coming so thank you so much for the support! **_____

"I'm not sure I want to believe them," Bella said as she got into bed next to Damon. She felt exhausted. It had been a very long day, and there was too much shouting that went on.

"Well, I'm not sure this is something that they can really lie about," Damon said as he shifted Bella into his arms gently, his hand resting on her little belly bulge.

Bella sighed. "Well, I know the Volturi have a bad reputation, and Jane and Alec are part of that. They have abilities that can put anything down."

"Mmm. Not anything. You do know that there's some glitches with the Cold Ones and their abilities, right?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, so Jasper's ability affects you really well, and while he does have a calming affect on me sometimes, it's not that strong. It's something that I can easily block out if I tried hard enough."

Bella thought about this. "That is really odd. Do you think it has to do with you two being different species of vampires?" Damon leaned in and kissed her softly.

"Well, probably. I'm sure there's some sort of bigger explanation behind it that Enzo or Vi could tell you about, but right now, I just want to hold you," he paused and kissed along her jawline. "And kiss you," he kissed her throat and a low moan of pleasure came from Bella as her eyes fluttered closed. "I just need you," his words were a whisper against her shoulder and his hand was trailing up under her shirt now.

"Mmm, well. We can do all of those things," she said, turning into him. His hand brushed against her breast and she winced, pulling back. "Ugh…."

"Oh, it's begun?"

"Uh huh. Painful to touch, let's not touch those for a while," she sighed sadly.

He grinned and then kissed her on the lips now, gentle at first before she opened to let him explore. The heat traveled to her face as his hands caressed her inner thigh, moving up and down in a slow stroking motion.

Downstairs there was a loud commotion that had Damon pulling back and getting out of bed quickly in just his pajama bottoms. He looked to Bella. "I'll be right back," he said and left her on the bed and rushed downstairs.

"Emmett? Lexi?" Damon said looking from them and then to the two Asian teens laying in the floor. Enzo rushed through the door caring an older black woman in his arms.

"What happened?" Damon said as he went to Sheila who was the only one conscious.

"I was attacked while out in town, oh god, I think a few weeks ago. A month?" Sheila was shaky and visibly thin and even pale.

Enzo and Lexi were panting, doubled over and Emmett was a little rough too. Emmett finally spoke. "That is Angela Weber and Ben Cheney. They're Bella's friends. We found them, but Damon…it was not easy."

Damon took out his phone immediately. By now, everyone was coming downstairs. Jasper and Alice rushed to Angela and Ben immediately, and Stefan came to Sheila, helping her into the parlor to sit down.

"Bonnie, you need to get to boarding house now, we found your grandmother," Damon said quickly and was hanging up and rushed to the kitchen, grabbed water and then back to the parlor to give it to Sheila.

"Get Angela and Ben into the parlor out of the foyer here," Jasper said quickly, leaving to go get some first aid supplies.

Bella made it down the stairs to see Alice and Lexi carrying Ben and Angela. She gasped and rushed down the stairs as fast as she could. "Angela! Ben!" Tears were automatically stinging her eyes. Emmett put a hand on her shoulder and then pulled her into a hug.

"Hey, it's okay. We got to them in time. They're alive, just severely dehydrated, probably hungry, and a bit banged up," Emmett's voice was calm and soothing.

Damon sat, holding Sheila's hand. "Can you tell us about the vampires that were holding you?"

"They had red eyes, I recognized them as being Cold Ones. They had me gagged so I couldn't speak any spells. The one that was called Laurent was the one that came down to check on us the most. He gave us water, and then some food. Angela there is a fighter, she tried her hardest to keep conscious and then Ben was beat a little from time to time just to inflict pain on Angela," Sheila closed her eyes as she drank the water down fast before opening her eyes again and looking to Enzo. "At first, when I saw him," she said nodding to Enzo. "I thought that they were sending someone to take care of us. I heard them talking about moving locations, but when he knelt down and looked me in the eyes, I knew he wasn't like them. He has dark brown eyes. He was very gentle and spoke quietly. He assured me that he was there to help me and that he would bring me back to Bonnie," her voice broke now as tears finally made their appearance.

"I called Bonnie, she's on her way over now. Locator spells weren't working, and she was frantic looking for you," Damon said softly as his hand rubbed hers. Their relationship had blossomed before the kidnapping. He had helped her find her daughter again, Abby, and they had been reunited for a time before Abby was turned into a vampire. Then Abby was living in isolation because she didn't want to be a danger to everyone right now as a newborn vampire.

Just then Bonnie burst into the parlor, tears streaming down her face like a river and then she was flinging herself towards her Gran. "Oh Gran! You're alive! You're safe!" she was sobbing as she clutched her. Then she was turning, looking at Damon. "Who found her?"

"Enzo did." Damon said simply and then Bonnie was staggering up to her feet and then she launched herself at Enzo. She hit him hard with a loud oof as she clung to him sobbing into his hard chest. A moment of shock registered on his face at first and then his arms came around her securely and help her tightly against him because her legs were giving out from under her now.

"Oh, calm down, Love. It's okay," Enzo's voice was low and calming.

"I…can't thank you enough," Bonnie sobbed out and then pulled back to look at him. "Enzo, you were bitten," she said, looking at his torn black shirt, his shoulder had a crescent bite. It was slowly healing, but it was there. Her hands moved up his chest to his shoulders as her hand traced the wound. "Does it hurt?"

"Like a bitch, love," Enzo smiled at her and then Jeremy was rushing into the parlor. He looked at Enzo, cradling Bonnie closely, but his eyes went to Sheila and so he rushed over to her, checking her out. "Are you okay Sheila?" Jeremy reached a hand out to grab hers.

"Oh yes, I'm fine. I'm more worried about Angela and Ben. They haven't woken up yet," Sheila murmured.

Bonnie pulled herself out of Enzo's arms, her legs unsteady, but she was feeling better. Her Gran was here now. "I'll go look," she said and moved across to Ben and Angela on unsteady legs. She knelt in the floor over them and took a breath to calm herself before reaching her hands out over them. She started murmuring a chant.

The whole room was silent as they watched Bonnie. When Bonnie broke away, her nose was bleeding, and she looked winded. Enzo moved quicker than Jeremy and reached down and helped her to her feet. "Come now, sit down," he said, pushing her into a chair and then quickly getting her a drink.

"Bonnie, are you okay?" Damon asked as he stood and moved towards her. Bella's eyes were still on Angela's pale, face. Her eyes were sunken in, and deep purple and black circles formed. She was thinner than when she saw her last.

"I'm fine," she said weakly and took a drink. Her Gran watched her intently, a shadow of worry on her face. "Angela and Ben are alive for now. They're incredibly weak. We have to get fluids into them, but there's one other thing," she paused and then looked up to Bella and sighed. "Angela's mind is trapped. Her mind is locked inside a box of sorts, and I don't think she'll ever wake up."

"Why can't we just feed them our blood to heal them quicker?" Stefan pointed out.

"That would heal their outside, but that's not going to heal what's on the inside. Ben, yes, blood will fix him, but Angela, I'm afraid I don't know how to fix it," Bonnie's hand dropped now, almost losing the grip on her glass. She was really weak. She was drained. It was weird that she was drained so quickly. It wasn't a spell that required so much energy, yet here she was.

"Jeremy, why don't you take Bonnie up to one of the rooms and get her in bed to rest," Damon said, standing and then moving to Sheila. "I want you to stay here tonight. It's safer for you than you going back home. I _need _you to be safe," his blue eyes stared at her and she stared back for a few moments before nodding. "Alright. I'll stay here the night." She started to get up, but then Alice was by her side now. "I'll help you to a room Mrs. Bennett," Alice's hands were gentle as she moved Sheila to the stairs and then decided to just pick her up in her arms and carry her. The look of shock on Sheila's face dissipated after a couple of moments, realizing that it wasn't abnormal for Alice to life a person since she was a vampire.

Stefan moved and gently picked up Ben. "I'm going to settle them into a room for now. I'll give him my blood to help the healing process." He said and moved out of the room and to the stairs. Jasper went and picked up Angela carefully, and followed Stefan out of the room.

Bella sat down finally, realizing that her legs were shaking. "I…." she couldn't even formulate any words. Angela was alive, but she was _trapped. _How was this fair? Angela didn't do anything to anyone for this to happen but knowing her had done this to her. Being friends with her was the reason behind her and Ben getting hurt like this, and for Bonnie's Gran being hurt. Tears fell from her cheeks and Damon moved to her.

"Hey, don't cry," he said wiping at her tears. "Why don't you go get back into bed, and I'll take care of a few things down here. I'll be up shortly," he said, kissing her softly.

"Come on Bella," Enzo said and moved to her and then helped her to her feet before picking her up, nodding to Damon and taking her upstairs to lay down. Damon and Jeremy stood there with Bonnie. She was looking at her hands now.

"Bonnie, come on. Let's get you in bed too. It's been a long day," Jeremy coaxed.

Bonnie didn't look at Jeremy. She was thinking. She had her Gran and then Angela and Ben were alive, and all she was thinking about was the tingling she was feeling down her body from her embrace with Enzo. What was wrong with her?

"Bonnie?" Damon said and was squatted down, looking up into her face.

"Huh?" Bonnie said and looked around at the parlor, Jeremy was looking at her with worried, doe brown eyes and tears threatened to spill over. She moved her gaze back to Damon and nodded. "I think I should lay down."

"I'll take you," Jeremy said, and Bonnie shook her head. "Jer, I think that you just need to go home tonight. I just want to be alone. I can't…" she drifted off.

Jeremy nodded. "Okay," he said and leaned down and kissed the top of her head. He then looked at Damon. "I'm going to tell Alaric about the rescue." He said and left. Enzo made it back downstairs and sighed, going over and grabbing his glass he sat down earlier and took a drink.

"Well, Bella is laying down. Jasper came in and sent her his freaky calming wave stuff, and she passed right on out," Enzo reported. "Oh, and I think Jasper and Lexi are sleeping together."

Damon sighed and closed his eyes and Bonnie actually chuckled. It made Damon raise a brow at her in surprise. "This is funny because?" he asked.

"I don't know. There's a war coming, graduation is literally in 6 days, the protection spell is a bust, Angela is in some sort of mystical coma, and the realization that Jasper and Lexi are having sex is just so casually mentioned, that it just makes the whole situation seem just…." She sighed and then smiled at Damon. "I'm okay now. My Gran is back and is alive. I couldn't be any more grateful for that. Now I can seriously focus on the upcoming war and figure out the spells I need to perfect before then." She was quiet a moment and then she gasped. "Oh, I did a simple spell with Bella's blood to determine if the Volturi twins were telling the truth earlier."

Damon and Enzo looked at each other and then back to Bonnie. "That can wait until tomorrow Bon Bon, you need to rest."

She shook her head. "No, they are telling the truth. Bella comes from a long line of witches."

Damon looked stunned now. He slowly rose to his feet, looking at Enzo. "The Volturi twins are witches?"

"Well, yeah. According to the spirits, they are from a powerful line of witches. The Twins were turned in 800 AD. The spirits said that they were about to be burned at the stake before they were rescued by the Volturi," Bonnie explained.

Jasper's voice came into the room now. "Alec and Jane have very unique gifts. Like mine, but opposite. Jane will inflict a great deal of pain that can incapacitate you with ease. Alec, can cut off your senses, paralyzing you, making you easy prey. Alec's gift is visible, appearing like a black smog. It's slower, but it can be confusing on a battlefield. They were really young, only 13 when turned. They are the youngest, yet one of the oldest of my kind."

"So, in other words, it wouldn't be smart to piss them off," Enzo said, arching a brow.

"Their powers are not as intense on us, we're different species, it affects us differently," Damon said and then Jasper nodded in agreement.

"But why would they care about what happens to Bella or not? They've been emotionless for how long?" Enzo asked.

"Honestly, Jane is the one that believes in the preservation of family more so than Alec, and Alec worships Jane," Jasper explained.

Bonnie was thoughtful for a while. "Well, if they're here to help, then we need to accept their help. They alone can destroy the army that Victoria is building for the war. I can make them special rings like I did for you and your family Jazz, and that can be a peace offering."

Jasper thought about this. "Yes. I think that would definitely benefit us. Can Violet get inside their minds?"

"Yes, she can read anyone's mind if they're not blocking her out or don't know she's doing it," Damon explained.

Just then the door opened, and Jake and Paul came in. "We did a sweep, Jared and Rebecca are on patrol with Leah and Tyler now. No signs of Cold Ones," Jake reported.

Damon nodded. "Okay. Good. Well, I think that after graduation we should focus on the protection spells. For now, Bonnie needs to rest up."

She started to protest but Enzo interrupted her. "Don't argue Love, it'll be better if you wait until after graduation. Right now, things are quiet. We took out quite a few baby vamps getting your Gran and the other two out. They're suffering their losses right now, and they won't try right now anyways. Alice and Ezra are keeping an eye on the future, so we'll know immediately if they change their minds."

Bonnie sighed and nodded. "Okay," She stood, swaying a little, but Enzo stopped her.

"I'm going to go get you into bed," Enzo coaxed and steered her out of the parlor and up the stairs.

Emmett came back down the stairs with Stefan. "I'm going back to the manor. I'm going to fill Klaus and Violet in. Elijah and Kol have left for New Orleans to find someone that they say will help our fight." Emmett said before throwing up a peace sign and leaving.

Damon looked to his brother. "How is Ben?"

"He's awake and won't leave Angela's side. He doesn't really remember everything that happened. He was unconscious a lot because they beat him down. He said the last thing he remembers is it snowing outside and then he was changing a tire and then darkness for a while," Stefan explained before getting himself a drink.

"It doesn't make sense why they would kidnap the two of them and Bonnie's grandmother," Paul said, a confused look on his face. Jake nodded in agreement. "Bella was really good friends with Angela and Ben back in Forks, but it's not like they were best friends. It was a weird strategy move on their part," Jake crossed his arms.

"Well, we're not going to get anywhere tonight. Let's sleep on it and talk about it in the morning," Damon said, and everyone mumbled their agreements before retiring for the night.

**: New Orleans :**

Elijah and Kol moved through the Quarter before spotting Marcell. Marcell saw them at the same time and made a motion with his head to follow him. They met in private out of the noises.

"So, what brings you back here?" Marcell asked as he moved around the large room freely, going to a liquor cabinet and pouring them all a brandy.

"Two things. I'm looking for my sister Freya, I know she came back here after we freed her and I'm looking for the leader of the wolf pack here," Elijah said casually.

Marcell smiled as he handed Kol and Elijah their drinks. "Yes, Freya is here. She's the only witch that's allowed to practice magic freely, because she's an Original witch, I figured that I shouldn't really deny her that. As for the wolf pack leader, that would be Casey Marshall. He's got a pack size about a dozen. He's not fond of vampires," he explained.

Elijah nodded and took a drink. "That's fine. When you see Freya, send her to me. I'm not staying here in the Quarter, but at this really nice hotel right outside New Orleans. The French one."

Marcell laughed. "Okay. I'll send her. By the way, Elijah, tell Klaus that his hybrids can stop spying. If he wants to make a visit, tell him to come."

"I'll tell him that," Elijah and Kol turned and left. When they got out of the quarter, they approached the territory that belonged to the wolves.

A taller man with short, dark hair and green eyes met them. "I'm assuming you have a death wish walking into a wolf's den."

"Ah, your kind can't hurt me. I'm Elijah Mikaelson and this is my brother Kol. I'm here to talk with Casey Marshall."

"I'm Casey. What can I do for an Original like yourself?"

"I require the company of Hayley Marshall," Elijah said simply. "I believe she knows a Tyler Lockwood. He can't make it here at the moment, but since I was coming this way for my sister, he asked me to drop in and ask for her presence in Mystic Falls."

"Since when does Tyler do business with the Mikaelsons?" A girl with olive skin and dark hair. Her green eyes were dark, almost closer to a hazel.

Elijah grinned. "You must be Hayley."

"I am," she said simply, she stood straight, fierce, ready to go on the defense.

"There's going to be a summit. Tyler and Klaus will be in attendance. A Sam Uley and Jacob Black will be there as well. It's a wolf summit," Elijah took a step forward. "I've come as a favor for Tyler. He is an ally, and a friend. He's protected by the Mikaelsons and this summit, is important."

Casey growled. "Why didn't he send for me?"

"Because, Tyler knows Hayley and asked for Hayley," Kol said with impatience in his voice.

"The summit won't take place until after the full moon passes. That gives you two weeks," Elijah said, looking only at Hayley. "You can bring others to attend." He turned with his brother without casting another glance.

"Where's the summit being held?" Hayley called.

"Mikaelson Manor, Mystic Falls Virginia," Kol called out and then him and Elijah disappeared into the shadows.


	22. Chapter 22

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you_**.

**_Writer's Notes: Thank you Sassy Mimi, CrazyGryl, Guest, kouga's older woman, and UsraMinor1991 for your reviews! The more the merrier for the oncoming war. But first. Graduation! _******

**_######_**

Graduation was today. It was the day that Bella had waited for and couldn't wait for it to be over. Renee and Phil were actually going to make it for graduation and Bella couldn't be happier that she would have her mom and dad at her graduation. She couldn't wait to see her mom after almost a year of not seeing her. She had to admit that she did miss her, and she couldn't wait to see her beautifully pregnant with her little brother and sister.

"Bella! It's finally happening!" Caroline squealed as she looped her arm through Bella's and another through Elena's. The three girls laughed as they walked down the hallway at Mystic Falls High. Rebecca came around the corner wearing her robe and hat and smiled big when she spotted the trio.

"There you girls are," Rebecca called and rushed to them. Her hands went to Bella's stomach to feel the small roundness of it and smiled big. "Just checking on the girls," she said and then the four of them were hugging. If you asked Elena a year prior if she would be having a group up with Rebecca Mikaelson in the future, she would have laughed, but she has grown close to her over the past few months.

Bella smiled big as she pulled out of the hug first. "I can't wait to get this day over with. Violet said that she's going to try and make sure Klaus doesn't do anything to embarrass us all," she said with a laugh and Rebecca rolled her eyes.

"Please, my brother will always find a way to do something embarrassing," Rebecca turned when she heard Jared come around the corner. She smiled and walked to him, putting her arms around him smoothly. Jared kissed the top of her head and then made a nodding motion to Bella. "You ready?"

"Hell yes!" Bella said excitedly. The five of them joined the others, Matt, Emmett, Jake, Tyler, Leah, Embry, Paul, Bonnie, Alice, Stefan, and Jasper. They were all decked out in their red graduation robes and everyone was smiling big as they all took their places and waited for their names to be called.

Alaric, Charlie, Jenna, Liz, and Damon all sat gathered together while Klaus, Elijah, Kol, Freya, and Violet sat together down a row. Charlie looked at his watch and frowned. Renee and Phil hadn't made it yet and he was starting to worry. Renee did say that her and Phil were on their way and they were in Virginia, and that was a couple hours ago. He smiled to Liz. "I'm going to call Renee and see where she's at," he said and made his way to a quieter area to make the quick call before Bella's name was called. They were still doing the speeches, so he knew there would be some time.

"Hello?" A voice sounded rushed on the other end.

"This isn't Renee? Who is this?" Charlie asked.

"I'm sorry, this is Nurse Watkins at Mystic Falls General. The owner of this phone is currently in surgery," Nurse Watkins stated quickly.

"Surgery? This is Officer Charlie Swan with Mystic Falls Police department, what has happened?"

"A really bad car accident. Unfortunately, the male driving was DOA, but the woman was rushed back into surgery. It's not looking too good. Dr. Cullen's priority is the babies she's carrying."

Charlie ran a hand through his hair as he tried to collect his thoughts. "Okay. I'll be there shortly." He said and hung up. He rushed up to the bleachers where everyone sat, and he pulled Liz away. "I have to get to hospital. Renee and Phil have been in a car accident. Phil was killed on impact, but Renee is in surgery. Carlisle is trying to save the twins. I need you to keep Bella calm when this is over."

Liz's arms went around Charlie and hugged him close before her lips met his quickly. "It's okay. Go and find out what happened, and I'll see to it that our girls are okay," she said and he kissed the top of her head before Alaric showed up.

"Charlie?" He asked, worry in his voice.

"It's Renee Ric. You need to come with me. She's not looking good," Charlie said quickly and that was all Alaric needed to hear before rushing off with Charlie.

####

Everyone threw their caps in the air, marking the end of the graduation, and the celebratory hoots and hollers met with air horns honking and a roar of applause from everyone in the stand. Bella and Caroline hooked arms as they rushed off the field to find their parents. When Bella didn't see Charlie, only Jenna and Liz standing there with small smiled, she got worried. Damon came to her first and pulled her into a hug and kissed her quickly.

"Hey, where's Dad?" She said, looking past Damon to Liz and Jenna. "And Uncle Ric?"

"Your dad got called away, I'm sorry Bella," Liz said and then she hugged her. "We need to get somewhere out of the crowd," she said into her ear.

Before long, everyone was off the field and were gathered in a quiet corner of the parking lot.

"Bella, we need to get to the hospital. Renee and Phil got into a car accident on the way here. Dr. Cullen is working on your mom right now in surgery, trying to save the twins. I'm sorry, but Phil did not make it," Liz's voice was calm and soothing. Jasper immediately put a hand on Bella's shoulder and send calming vibes to her, so she wouldn't panic, and Damon grasped her hand in his tightly.

"Oh, I see. Okay. I'll go now, "she said mechanically and turned, her eyes meeting Violet's. Violet went to her immediately and grabbed her free hand with hers and they got into Damon's car together. Her, Violet, Damon, and Jasper rode together to the hospital, while the others followed, leaving Matt, Tyler, Leah, and the other Quileutes behind, only Jake coming to the hospital with Stefan, Alice, and Klaus. Jenna stayed with Liz to help wrangle the other supernatural teens so that they could be more of help with Bella when she made it back home.

####

The waiting room at the hospital was alive with different noises and different people sick. Dr. Fell came to greet Bella and her family. "Bella let's get you to a quieter part of the hospital," she whispered and pulled Bella, Damon, Jasper, and Violet to the back, leaving the others in the waiting room.

When they got to the new room, Charlie and Alaric were waiting for them. It was clear that Alaric had been upset or had at least cried and Charlie's face looked gloomy. Bella looked between the two of them before Carlisle made an appearance. He still had his scrubs on, but he had changed out of his other ones before coming to see Bella. He didn't want her to see him covered in her mother's blood.

"Bella," Carlisle's voice called to her and she turned to look at him.

"She didn't make it," Bella's voice was barely a whisper. "The twins?" She choked.

"She didn't make it Bella, but your brother and sister are in NICU right now. Your sister is the stronger of the two. She's doing exceptionally well. Your brother is doing good as well. They have to stay in the incubators, but I can bring you and Violet back to see them if you want," Carlisle said and reached out a hand to Bella.

Bella looked at her dad and then to Violet before Violet grabbed her sister's hand and nodded. Bella let go of Damon and grabbed Carlisle's hand with her free hand. He led Violet and Bella back to an area where they put on blue scrub gowns, gloves, facemasks, and hats. Bella felt numb, her mind only focused on her little brother and sister fighting to make it in NICU.

They looked down into the two incubators next to each other. There were two tiny bodies there. At 32 weeks, they looked like babies. Just smaller versions of what Bella imagined a baby to look like.

"She was 3 pounds 4 ounces, and he was 3 pounds and 7 ounces. They were a really good weight for preemie twins. They both require the ventilator for a little while. They'll be in here a good five weeks, or until they can regulate their own body temperature, and breath steadily on their own," Carlisle explained.

"Can I…touch her hand?" Bella asked, her eyes not leaving her sister's tiny body.

"Of course. Put your hand in this hole here, and you can touch her hand. Violet you can do the same."

Violet and Bella went closer to the incubators as they reached their gloved hands into the incubators and held their little sister and brother's hands. Tears welled up in Bella's eyes as she stared down at her sister's little body. She had a little dark fuzz on her head, and so did her brother.

"What's going to happen now?" Violet asked.

"Well, the next living relative is you and Bella. Alaric as well. Phil didn't have any family. Child services would like to place the twins in the home of blood family before adoption was ever an option," Carlisle said and then looked up when Charlie joined, wearing the same attire as the girls. He looked at the twins and sighed before looking at Bella, who was crying now. She sniffed.

"Can I talk with Damon and Klaus a moment," Bella said, looking up to her Dad and then to Violet.

Charlie and Carlisle nodded, and watched the girls close the little door on the incubator and leave NICU together.

"Carlisle. Thank you for saving them," Charlie said.

"I tried to save Renee. Esme should be at the crash site. It wasn't a normal accident, they were attacked by Laurent and Victoria," Carlisle's voice dropped low.

Anger flared in Charlie's eyes as he understood. "I'll go there now to see what I can do. We should have some deputies there now. Who brought Renee and Phil in?"

"Enzo and Kol, they left immediately to go help Esme," Carlisle said as they exited the NICU. "I'll go with you. I left my phone in my car, so I haven't been able to talk to Esme since all of this happened."

####

Bella and Violet asked to speak with Klaus and Damon alone in one of the empty rooms.

Damon's hands rubbed up and down Bella's arms. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, and she shook her head.

"It's okay. I'm just…. I don't know what to feel. I wish I told her to just stay at home and I would see her after the twins were born. It was too close to her due date for her to be traveling like that," she sniffed.

Klaus was looking at Violet, who was calm, no tears. He imagined it was because she wasn't attached to Renee like Bella was, but he could tell that she was sad too. She lost her biological mother.

"The twins will likely be placed with blood family first," Violet spoke now.

Damon looked over to her and then to Klaus and then back to Bella. "We can do it Bella. We can take care of your brother and sister. It's not a problem," he said immediately.

Klaus nodded. "They will have a home with us as well. We will do whatever it takes. We won't let them go to a strange family." This put a shocked expression on Violet's face.

"You would do that?" Violet asked, looking at Klaus with a new emotion.

"Of course, I would. Why wouldn't I?" Klaus said raising a brow. "You don't think I like children?"

"Well, I never pegged you for the type that would like to clean up after a being that spits up all the time, and poops more than they sleep," Violet pointed out.

Klaus snorted. "I'm full of surprises. I happen to actually love children, even if all they do is eat, sleep, and poop."

This made Bella laugh and she pulled away from Damon to put her arms around Klaus now. Klaus hugged her tight against him and sighed into her hair. "Listen Bella, I'm being serious. I know that you have two of your own on the way, and I will do anything for you and Violet."

Bella nodded and pulled back to smile at him. "Then thank you. We'll be one big family." She kissed Klaus on the cheek, and he smiled at her. She moved over to Violet and pulled her into a strong hug. "I know you didn't know mom like I did but thank you for being here and being supportive. We have two little babies now. We will make this work. Let's go tell Uncle Ric and Charlie," she said and left Klaus and Damon to themselves.

"You are incredibly lucky Damon," Klaus said as he stuck his hands in his pockets.

"I know. She's stronger than we all give her credit for. It's not going to be easy at first, but thank you," Damon said, and his blue eyes met Klaus'. "We used to be enemies but now I think of you like a brother, and I could not be more appreciative."

Klaus smiled and moved to Damon and hugged him in a big strong hug, slapping his back like a normal brother would do. "It actually warms my heart to hear you say that, but let's keep that between us or the others would think that I've grown too soft."

"Deal," Damon said, grinning.

####

Carlisle and Charlie made it on sight where Phil's car was wrapped around a tree, pieces of car lay scattered everywhere. Enzo and Kol stood next to some deputies, with grim faces. Edward was there with them and that confused Carlisle and angered Charlie. Edward put his hands up as if he was surrendering. His shirt was torn, and he had blood splattered on him. Enzo and Kol walked forward with Edward. Enzo put a hand up to silence Carlisle and Charlie before they could speak.

"Listen. I know he's not on your list of favorite people right now Charlie, but he's here for Carlisle," Enzo said, and Edward's eyes met Carlisle's.

"Carlisle, I…" Edward began and sighed. His eyes were red rimmed Carlisle noticed.

"Edward, what happened?" Carlisle's voice seemed to waver as he looked around for Esme and then saw the blaze off a little way. He could smell the putrid smell of burning vampire. "No…"

Edward and Enzo moved fast, gathering Carlisle against them. "Carlisle, I'm sorry…." Enzo was the one to speak now. Edward only buried his face in Carlisle's hair and closed his eyes, tears fighting their way to break free.

"What…. happened?" Carlisle's chest heaved and his body shuddered.

"We were outnumbered. Esme flanked Victoria and Edward jumped to help. He was following Renee and Phil to ensure they safely arrived and then they were ambushed. Enzo was surprised from behind by two baby vamps, and I had my hands full with about five of them. Laurent was no where to be seen until I saw him rip Phil from the vehicle and break his neck. He started towards Renee, but Esme left Victoria and Edward to protect Renee. Enzo finished off the two baby vamps he had, and Esme ordered him to take Renee immediately to the hospital. He did so. When he did, Laurent took advantage of her distraction, and she…she uh…protected Renee with her life. By the time I managed to kill the baby vamps swarming me, she was already burning, and Victoria and Laurent had retreated. Edward took chase and I took Phil to the hospital, I knew that he was gone, but I had to do something. Me and Enzo made it back to Edward standing over there by Esme," Kol explained.

Carlisle's body continued to shake as he hurt for the loss of his love, his mate. He raised his face to look into Edward's, putting his forehead against his. "Thank you," his voice croaked, and Edward nodded.

Charlie watched Carlisle fall apart in front of him, Edward holding on to him trying to hold him up. He didn't know that Edward was watching Renee and Phil.

"I thought that you were here in Mystic Falls?" Charlie finally said to Edward.

Edward looked up at Charlie and sighed. "I was. I was so angry at first. I really was and maybe I still am, but when Kol and Elijah approached me again, they were very convincing that I needed to help with this upcoming war and to not put too much on Bella. I do love her Charlie, and I don't want to cause her harm, especially now that she's carrying children, and at first I was in a rage and I couldn't quite understand how she could move on, but I did some real soul searching while on my assignment to watch Phil and Renee. Elijah thought that they would be in danger and retaliate since Enzo, Emmett, and Lexi managed to rescue Angela, Ben, and Sheila so I took that very seriously. I wanted to help Bella, even if she didn't know I was."

Charlie nodded, listening to Edward. "She's happy Edward. I don't want you upsetting her. She's in love with Damon, and they are bringing a family into this world. He's really good to her, and while he might be a vampire, he would never harm her in any way."

Edward was quiet. "I know." He looked down at Carlisle who had stopped shaking but was just silently crying now. "I will do anything that you ask of me. I only want the best for Bella and Damon is that for her. I can only be sorry that I caused her as much pain as I have. I'm here to dedicate my allegiance to this side of the war and will fight with my very life to ensure the safety of Bella and her children."

Carlisle straightened now and looked at his 'son'. "You will come home with me. Rose is at the house. She should hear from us that Esme is gone."

Edward nodded and they both stood straight now. Carlisle's eyes were bloodshot, and Enzo rubbed a hand down Carlisle's back. "It's going to be alright mate; we're going to find Victoria and Laurent and put an end to them. I'm going to go back to the Salvatore boarding house. Ezra and Callum are returning today from Washington DC, they should have some more information that we could possibly use. I will call later to check in," Enzo stated and nodded to Charlie before he left, taking Kol with him.

Charlie cleared his throat. "Carlisle, I don't know what I can say to make you feel any better, but if there's anything that you need from me and Liz, please ask."

Carlisle nodded and then hugged Charlie. "Thank you, friend." He said and then him and Edward turned and fell into the shadows, running home.

####

Bella sat in the parlor with Violet and her older brothers, Ezra and Callum. They heard about Renee and immediately came to the boarding house.

"So, you and Damon are going to take the twins in?" Ezra asked. "Because I can help too. They are my brother and sister too."

Bella nodded, as she looked up to Damon, who was bringing her a cup of hot cocoa. Hot cocoa always seemed to make anything feel better. "We will, but Klaus is going to help out too. We're thinking that these twins will have the best big family ever. All the help is greatly appreciated."

Callum nodded. He had been silent for some time. "Of course, we're all in. Helping with anything. You're carrying my nieces and you need to make sure you take care of you," he said softly.

Bella smiled at Callum, "Thanks Cal. I am taking care of myself. Damon won't let me do anything until I take care of myself first. For now, Carlisle said they have to stay in NICU for 5 weeks, so we'll have time to prepare for them."

Just then Charlie came in with Liz. "Hey Bells," he said softly and went to her and hugged her. "So, I thought that I would tell you first. Esme…she didn't make it tonight. I'm sure Enzo has already filled you in on the events that took place tonight?" Enzo and Bella both nodded.

"Edward is also back. I don't want you to worry. I had a long talk with him," Charlie said, and Damon looked at him with a worried look.

Bella nodded, understanding. "I don't think Edward would do anything to hurt me, but I'm thankful that he was there trying to help. Carlisle needs him, and Carlisle is hurting right now. Which brings me to an idea. I want to give the twins names, so I was thinking that my sister could be called Renesmee for Renee and Esme, and my brother could be Jaison. My mom was telling me last week that she kept seeing the name Jaison everywhere, and that she felt like he was telling her that's what he wanted to be called. So Jaison Philip…. I guess the twins will have to take one our last names," Bella said and looked over to Violet.

Violet nodded. "It should be you Bells."

Bella smiled. "Well, it'll be Salvatore soon. So Jaison Philip Salvatore and Renesmee…." She trailed off.

"Hope," Damon said and that made Bella smile. "Renesmee Hope Salvatore," she mimicked.


	23. Chapter 23

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you_**.

**_Writer's Notes: Thank you kouga's older woman, CrazyGryl, Guest #1 and Guest #2 for your reviews! It's very sad I know! I promise there will be some revenge for the group. _**********

**_####_**

_-June 15, 2019- Bella-16 weeks, baby's growth~18 weeks, Jaison and Renesmee- 2 ½ weeks~_

The wedding of Charlie Swan and Elizabeth Forbes is small, yet beautiful. Liz dressed in a simple champagne colored gown that swooped to her ankles and was a soft silk, with small trims of lace here and there around the bodice. Caroline had pinned her mother's hair with some flowers matching her dress. Caroline had tears in her eyes as she looked at her mother dressed so beautiful on her wedding day.

"Oh mom, you're beautiful. Charlie isn't going to know what hit him," she said and kissed her mom's cheek. Tears came to Liz's eyes as she smiled big and squeezed her daughter.

"I'm so happy," Liz said and that's when Bella walked in dressed in a beautiful ombre purple dress that showed off her bare shoulders. Caroline pulled Bella into a group hug with Liz.

"Oh girls, you both look beautiful too," Liz said, and Bella smiled. "I'm so happy for you and my dad. You're already the best mom," Bella's voice broke a little and Liz held Bella tight.

"Oh Bella, your mom would think you looked so beautiful if she was here," Liz kissed Bella's cheek.

"Thank you, Liz. I know she would have. I know she wasn't always the best mom, but she did love me, that much I did know. Now, how about you get ready to walk down the aisle?" Bella said and ushered Liz into place. Caroline and Bella disappeared to find Jake and Seth. Caroline looped her arm through Jake's and Bella looped hers with Seth's. Jake was Charlie's best man in place of Billy and Seth was a groomsman for Harry, who couldn't be there with them. The music began and Jake and Caroline moved down the aisle towards Charlie, followed by Bella and Seth.

When the music softened, and light, airy, piano music played, Liz made her appearance at the end of the aisle. Charlie's smile grew wider on his face as he looked down the aisle at Liz, looking stunningly beautiful. His heart gave a little leap, and his breath hitched just at the sight of her. She seem to just glide down the aisle to him, and finally she was there in front of him, tears stuck in her eyes and a beautiful smile plastered to her face.

After the "I dos" and the ring exchange, everyone moved to reception and music was played and dinner was served. Klaus had paid for a good part of the wedding as a wedding gift to Charlie and Liz, and Damon helped supply the alcohol of course.

Seth had swooped Bella into a dance, and it had her giggling as the fourteen-year old wolf spun her around carefully. Caroline danced with Charlie and it was such a tender moment. "Charlie, I'm so happy that you and my mom got married. My own dad married again to Steven and he's just never been there for me. He doesn't answer my texts or calls. I'm happy to have a father figure now, and I might just call you dad," she said with a laugh.

"Caroline, you don't have to call me dad, but I won't mind if you do," he said and kissed the top of her head and she sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder, tears bright in her eyes as she smiled, feeling the happiest she's ever felt.

Liz watched her daughter and Charlie dance and it brought tears to her own eyes. Her heart fluttered with such joy. Damon appeared next to her now and held out a hand. "Care to dance?" Liz smiled and put her hand in his.

"You know Damon, you have surprised me a lot. I know the rest of the council doesn't know about what you are, and what's about to happen, but I don't think I could have asked for a better best friend," Liz said, and Damon grinned.

"Liz, you are an exceptional woman, and now you have an exceptional man by your side. I tend to surprise myself from time to time, but I'm glad that you think of me as your best friend, because I think the same of you," he said and kissed her cheek. The music changed and Damon gave her a little bow and twirled her into Klaus' arms next.

"Ah, Sheriff Forbes, you are stunning today," Klaus smiled down at her and Liz gave him a little smile too. She was still getting used to Klaus, but she was thankful for his presence in Mystic Falls for the time being.

"Well, thank you Mr. Mikaelson, and thank you for paying for the wedding. We didn't ask for that, but your gift is appreciated," she said as he spun her and pulled her back to him. "Please, call me Klaus, and anything for Caroline and Bella. I think of them as my little sisters."

Liz snorted. "If you think of them as sisters, please don't think of me as mom."  
"Ah, what a wonderful idea. I should call you mom from now on," he joked, and Liz rolled her eyes. Then she was being twirled into Charlie's arms. She smiled up at him and then he leaned in and kissed her gently. "You're beautiful," he murmured, and she kissed him again. "Thank you," she said, and she leaned into the dance and swayed to the music with him.

_June 22,2019-Bella 17 weeks, baby's growth~20 weeks- Jaison and Renesmee 3 ½ weeks~_

Jane watched as Bella moved around the room that would be Jaison and Renesmee's nursery. Jane had volunteered her and Alec to help decorate the nursery for the twins. It had taken the group to get used to Jane and Alec. Bonnie made them rings so that they could move through town freely without drawing attention to themselves. Jane and Alec had crystal blue eyes that looked so soft and lovely. Jane looked like a beautiful thirteen-year-old now, and Alec, looked like if he aged in appearance, he would be a heart breaker as well. Alec had specks of yellow in his hair and on his face. He had been the one to paint the nursery at Jane's insistence.

"So, Violet can read minds, which means that you must be the opposite of her. Violet and Edward can't read your mind, right?" Jane asked as she folded a yellow receiving blanket and lay it on the white 6 drawer dresser. Alec was busy putting together both of the cribs and was getting increasingly frustrated.

Bella was in the closet hanging up Renesmee's little outfits that Caroline had went crazy and bought. Rebecca was equally as bad and had bought a bunch of clothes for Jaison as well. All little hipster looking clothes that Bella didn't really care for, but she was appreciative of the gesture and Jaison and Renesmee would definitely never be naked. She emerged from the closet and sighed. "Yes, they can't read my mind, but I don't know what possibly ability that I would have would be useful. I mean my ability to block others from intruding on my mind isn't really a superpower."

"Well mine and Alec's powers wouldn't work on you either, we haven't tried, but the way our power works uses your mind," Jane explained.

"That's it!" Alec roared at the cribs. "I don't understand these instructions," he said and thrust the instructions at Jane. Jane grabbed them and her brow furrowed. "Hmm, well yes, there's no words, only pictures. The pictures aren't done very well…" she said and turned the paper around to see if maybe it was upside down.

Enzo waltzed in at that moment. "Ah, Bella. Damon had to go over to Klaus', apparently there's some sort of Wolf summit thing, and so the wolf boys, and Leah left out with him to go over there. He said to call him if you need anything."

Bella smiled. "Oh yeah the summit, I forgot about that. With everything that's gone on…" she murmured and then looked at Jane who was now holding pieces of the crib up to inspect them. She gave a little half laugh at the image.

Enzo raised a brow. "Uh, do you need help?" He asked the twins.

"This makes no sense," Alec threw up his hands.

Enzo walked over to take a look. "Well, the instructions aren't going to help. It seems pretty straight forward," and then Enzo was joining in the frustration of putting together the crib.

Bella smiled and left the nursery to the trio and went down to the kitchen and ran into Jasper, who put a handout to steady her. "Oh, sorry Jazz," she apologized.

"It's okay darlin'. How's the nursery going?" He asked, already hearing Enzo cussing and Alec right along with him, while Jane laughed.

"Hmm. Well the cribs that Stefan bought came with faulty instructions. You might want to head up and see if you can calm the two men down," she said and watched him laugh and head upstairs. She went into the kitchen to fix herself some orange juice and spotted Alice folding what looked like little baby towels. "Oh, look more baby stuff," Bella said sarcastically.

Alice grinned. "Well Caroline and Rebecca bought a bunch of clothes, so I went and got baby bath stuff. I read online that you're going to need a bunch of it, especially with 2 babies. Lexi is stockpiling diapers now. She's at the nearest Target shopping center. Violet is with her, so I can't guarantee that there won't be more clothes to come." She said with a mischievous grin.

"By you can't promise, you mean, you've already saw them buy more baby clothes," Bella said, and Alice only smiled. Bella sighed. "Well, they'll have plenty of clothes and on the bright side, I can reuse Renesmee's clothes for these little girls," she said and took a drink of her orange juice.

"Thought about any names?" she asked as she continued to fold.

Bella sat down across from Alice and took a little blue towel in her hands and started folding it. "Hmm, well I'm not entirely sure. Me and Damon have talked about a few names, but we haven't really decided. I had liked the name Alessa, but he's not fond of it. He likes Analise. I don't know. I'm stuck on 'a' names for some weird reason," She said with a laugh.

Alice smiled. "Well I love 'A' names," and Bella laughed. "Of course, you would like 'A' names," Bella said and got up and picked up a stack of the towels and Alice followed her up the stairs with the big tub of baby bath supplies.

They walked into the nursery and the cribs were together magically.

"How in the world? Right…vampires," Bella said and moved to the bathroom that adjoined the room and put the towels up while Alice organized the bath stuff.

Bella joined the others in the nursery. "Well, they look great. Now I just have to get the bedding on them and get the changing tables put together," she said, and Jasper nodded. "I'll have the changing tables together shortly. Just think Bella, we have another nursery to set up for the two you're carrying now."

Bella groaned. "Don't remind me. It's so much work," she said with a little laugh.

"Well, if that's it then," Alec said and patted Bella's shoulder awkwardly and left. Jane was smiling after her brother. "Excuse him, he doesn't know how to interact with people after all these years," she said and hugged Bella. "We're going to go ahead and go check in with Carlisle. If you need anything Bella, please call us." She said and left.

Enzo and Jasper had started on the changing tables, so Bella decided to sit down in the blue glider and rest a bit. Her back was starting to ache. She placed a hand over her belly and rubbed. She was only 18 weeks, but she looked more like she was 24weeks. Twins would do that. When she rubbed, she felt a little kick to the outside of her hand.

"Oh!" Bella gasped in surprise. Enzo looked up her casually. "Are they kicking?" he asked as he flipped the one changing table and moved it to the place that Bella had instructed him.

"They are, or at least one of them is," she cooed, and Enzo walked over and lay a hand over the spot and waited until he felt a little kick. He grinned. "Oh, that is so cool, love. Damon is going to love this now that he can feel them kick."

Bella grinned when Jasper joined and had to feel too. Alice watched as the two men smiled like big goofballs.

"Something about a pregnant woman makes men act all goofy," Alice sang from the doorway of the bathroom.

Bella laughed. "Isn't that the truth," she said and stood and got a little woozy. Enzo grabbed her arm gently. "Easy there love, don't get up too quickly."

"Why don't you go ahead and lay down for a while," Jasper suggested, and Bella nodded. "That sounds like a great idea. A nap would be good right about now," she said and then Alice was there to help her to her room.

~Wolf Summit- Mikaelson Manor~

Klaus, Sam Uley, Jake, Tyler, Hayley, and Casey were all sitting at the massive dining table that was a dark mahogany. There were others that attended like the other Quileute tribe members including Quinn, who had accompanied Sam to Mystic Falls, and then Damon and Stefan stood off to the side of the room. Elijah, Kol, and Finn sat at the massive table near Klaus and then there were about a dozen hybrids that stood around the room.

"For a wolf summit, there are an awful lot of non-wolves here," Casey commented.

Klaus raised a brow. "Well, yes. Damon and Stefan are here as my special guests. My siblings are here because they are part of me. If this is an issue…"

"It's not an issue," Hayley said and cast a glance at Casey as to tell him to be careful before turning her gaze back to Klaus. "So, what is this summit for?"

Klaus stood now and started to walk around the room. He did most of his speeches better when he was moving. He hated sitting still for any amount of time. "Well, I've called the summit to get everyone acquainted with each other. I know that you were not aware of your shifter counterparts on the West coast, so I wanted to introduce you all. It's come to light that there is a war brewing come the fall time. We've called the summit as informative purposes only. I don't expect you to want to take part in the war. It's going to be easily won anyways because the other side is severely outmatched."

Ezra arrived late to the summit, which made Klaus pause and then he nodded to Ezra.

"Ah, there's Mr. Shaw now. He's got the ability to look to the future. Please, enlighten the group Ezra on what is to come," Klaus said and swept a hand towards him.

"Right. Okay, hello everyone, I'm Ezra Shaw, Bella's older brother. Klaus is right, I see the future, and I have seen the war several times, and it only changes slightly. The war will consist of what everyone refers to as Cold Ones, which is a breed of vampires, but also there are some witches that are slowly getting themselves involved. I don't have an exact count on the witches because they can hide themselves from me easier. But I can tell you, that the number is rising slowly. Even though we've managed to throw a couple wrenches into their plans a few times, they're still gathering a good amount of force. Now, the Original vampires are very skilled and take on quite a bit of their numbers, but they can get overwhelmed. We've got the Quileute's support, "he said and looked over to Sam and Jake, who both nodded their heads to confirm.

Klaus then started in on his speech. "Which brings us to the informative angle. New Orleans is far South, far enough South that you might escape the war, but what's bothersome is the Volturi. They are the council that governs the Cold Ones. We have managed to gain the help of two of their ex-members, Alec and Jane, whom were the strongest in their clan. They are in relation to Bella and came to aide her. So, with that being said, even though we have a strong chance of winning the war, we're making sure that you are aware of the trouble brewing," Klaus finished.

Hayley looked to Casey and Casey shook his head. "We won't come and fight along side you, but if the events change, and it looks like New Orleans will be affected by any means, we will defend our home." Hayley shook her head. "I'll stay behind as a support. There's no need to send our entire pack into war. I'll stay behind and help protect this Bella. She's carrying children," she said and then when she met a confusing glance from Klaus she explained. "I heard Damon and Stefan talking," she motioned to Damon and Stefan who stood off to the side.

Casey looked at his sister. "She has plenty of protection, we're not needed."  
"That may be true brother, but I don't want anything bad to happen to Bella. You know how I feel about children," she muttered lowly to her brother. The look in his eye told her that he understood.

When the meeting was over, Tyler went to Leah and slipped his arm around her waist and smiled at her. She leaned up and kissed him softly and then Hayley was standing their clearing her throat. "I'm sorry to uh…interrupt."

Tyler smiled and then hugged Hayley. "Hey, I wasn't sure that you would come. Elijah said he spoke to you. Oh, this is Leah, my mate, and this is Hayley. She's a good friend of mine. She helped break the sire bond that I shared with Klaus at one point."

Leah smiled a tight smile. "It's nice to meet you Hayley. Welcome to Mystic Falls," she said and then kissed Tyler's cheek. "I'm going to go say hi to Sam and Quil. It's been a long time since I've seen my pack leader," she said and disappeared across the room and was jumping up, ruffling Quil's hair while Sam laughed at the two of them.

Hayley nodded to Leah. "She's really nice. She's your mate?"

"Oh yeah, so the Quileute tribe goes through this random thing called imprinting. It's a shifter situation, but the imprint also affected me. I felt gravitated towards her as she did to me," Tyler explained.

Hayley nodded. "Werewolves go through something similar, but it's not so demanding I suppose. I've actually heard of shifter tribes unlike my brother. I've traveled a bit before I triggered my curse. So I actually met some shifters in South America once. They go through the imprinting thing too," she explained and then Casey was joining them. "Hay, I'm heading out. I don't like being around so many vampires at one time. Are you sure you want to stay?"

"Yes, I'm staying Casey. I'll be fine. I'm going to stay and protect Bella. It's what I would want someone to do for me if I was in the same situation, and I told you how I feel about this…" she said and Casey only nodded, giving her a quick hug before leaving.

Hayley looked back to Tyler, but his attention was on Damon now, who had wandered over. "So, when are Jaison and Renesmee coming home from the hospital?" Tyler asked.

"Three more weeks. Bella was setting up the nursery today," Damon said, and Hayley looked at them confused.

"She had the twins already?"

"Oh no. Bella recently just lost her mother and step-dad. They were attacked by some of the Cold Ones, and her mom was pregnant with twins. Carlisle saved the twins but couldn't save her mom. So, me and Bella are officially adopting her brother and sister. They're in NICU right now because they were 8 weeks early," Damon explained.

Hayley felt a twinge in her heart. It was such a sad situation, and it made her decision that much better to stay and help Bella.

~Salvatore Boarding House~

Damon returned to a sleeping Bella and he smiled as he changed and slid into bed behind her, pulling her back against him. She stirred and mumbled, turning in his arms and opening sleepy eyes to smile up at him. "Mmm. I was just dreaming about you," she murmured.

"You were huh. What was this dream about," he said and brushed her hair out of her face.

"Maybe I should show you," she grinned coyly, and slid her hands up his bare chest and tangled them in his hair and pulled his face to hers and kissed him deeply.

He let her explore his mouth as his hands ran down her back to her hips, pulling the thin material away and then moving the other hand to trace up her inner thigh. She moaned softly against his mouth as his hands found her hot and ready for him. He smiled against her lips when she moved her hips against his hand as he slipped two fingers inside her. Her mouth found his neck and she bit him gently and then he was flipping her over on her back gently and hovering over her, his blue eyes piercing into hers. He watched her face as he entered her slowly. She moaned and her hands drug down his back, holding on to him as he moved at a slow, easy rhythm. Her walls clamped around him as she came, moaning his name, his lips found hers and drank in her pleasure as he reached his peak a few moments later. He pulled her against him, cuddling close, placing a hand on her swollen belly. After about twenty minutes when he started to doze off to sleep, he felt a little jolt against his hand. He opened his eyes to see Bella smiling at him.

"Did they just kick?" His voice was full of wonder. The flutter kicked his hand again and Damon smiled a big bright smile. Bella smiled and leaned in and kissed him softly. "I can't believe it. They're…."

"Real," Bella said, and he shifted down the bed to kiss her belly, chuckling when they kicked at him again. He was really truly happy, happier than he thought he would ever be in his eternity.


	24. Chapter 24

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you_**.

**_Writer's Notes: Thank you CrazyGryl, munzke11, and Guest for your reviews! I can assure you that Hayley will not be stealing any babies. She doesn't have an ill intention. _**********

**_####_**

Bonnie and Enzo were in the basement running through spells before the twins were brought home in a week. They had to wake Angela up somehow, and Bonnie didn't want to give up.

"Bonnie, Love, you need to pace yourself, you're overdoing it," Enzo said when Bonnie wiped blood from under her nose and leaned over and took some deep breaths.

"Enzo, I can't stop. There has to be a way to free Angela's mind, and I want to do this before the twins come home next week, and I definitely need to release her from her prison before the fall comes," she explained and then leaned up and shook her hands out and closed her eyes and mumbled a chant. The chant made her mind reach out and search for Angela's on the spirit plane. This was the last place she knew to look. She almost gave in when she caught a glimpse of a scared Angela running.

"Angela!" Bonnie called out and Angela turned and looked at Bonnie.

"You're her!" Angela gasped as they ran towards each other. "I've heard you in my head," Angela murmured as they stood only a foot a part now.

"You're trapped in your mind. A witch put a curse on you, and I've been searching for weeks for a spell to break you out. Ben is waiting by your side," Bonnie coughed into her hand, seeing the blood, she clenched her fist and wheezed.

Angela frowned. "Are you hurting yourself trying to free me?"

Bonnie shook her head. "No no. I'm okay. I just need to figure out how to get you out," she wheezed again and then reached out her hand and Angela grasped it. Bonnie felt a large jolt, and then blackness. When she opened her eyes, Enzo was looking down at her, his hand rubbing her cheek in slow circles.

"Ah, there you are love," Enzo murmured. Bonnie looked around. She was laying on the ground.

"You gave me a fright. You went really pale and passed out. You stopped breathing Bonnie," he said, and Bonnie sat up, her head exploding in pain. She winced and brought her hand up to her face and wiped away the blood that had poured form both nostrils this time.

"I found her. The spirit plane, that's where they hid her. I grabbed her hand and then I blacked out," she coughed into her hand and saw the blood.

"That can not be good. You need to take it easy. You can't try that again," he said and helped her to her feet. She leaned heavily into him; her legs shaky. His arms snaked around her waist and he held her to him, bearing all of her weight so she could rest her legs.

She sighed. "Enzo, I have to keep trying. I can't leave her there."

"At least ask for Freya's help. She can go into the spirit plane or whatever and bring Angela back. There's no need for you to go there again."

"I'm going back Enzo," she said with a hard tone and pulled away from him and staggered and swayed. He caught her again so she wouldn't fall. Maybe Enzo was right, and she just needed to rest.

"I'll rest, and then I'll go back there," she muttered when she realized she wasn't going to be able to walk on her own right at this moment.

"Rest and figure out what you need to do once there. Going in blind isn't going to help. You'll just be going to the spirit plane without a plan," he tried to reason.

Bonnie thought about this. He wasn't wrong. She needed a plan once she was there. It wasn't good enough to just grab her hand and just click her heels together and chant there's no place like home. She tried to right herself again anyways, to try and prove her strength but she failed as her legs gave under her again and he was pulling her against his chest. His deep brown eyes stared into her hazel eyes in silence. Before she could say anything, his mouth found hers gently. He nudged her lips apart and she gave and parted her lips for him to taste. He could taste the leftover blood in her mouth, the sweetness of her breath was hot on his face as he broke the kiss before taking her mouth again. Her hands gripped his shirt tightly in her hands while his hands found her hips and gripped her to him.

Her mind was feeling hazy, and the warmth of his lips on hers made her hungry for more of him. She clung to him for dear life as she was afraid that the spinning room would make her fall away. Their kiss became more urgent, and hers sought his more greedily, not wanting him to pull away. When he did, her brain was still feeling like mush that she didn't know what had just happened. When the world stopped spinning, she shivered. His arms were still around her tightly, but his face was buried in her hair. She felt him shiver against her and his breathing was heavy, and she realized that hers was too.

"I…I'm sorry," Enzo finally said. He didn't know what had come over him, but something had, and now that he had tasted her, he didn't think that he could just let her go.

"Jeremy," was all Bonnie said before she took an uneasy step back. He let his arms drop to release her. When she didn't stagger or fall, he relaxed. Tears brimmed her eyes, but they didn't fall. She took a few steps backwards, hesitantly at first. What was she doing with Enzo? She loved Jeremy. _Loved. _Her heart didn't sing at the thought of his name anymore. She realized that for a while now, but she ignored the ache. The aching that she had felt since the day Enzo brought her Gran back to her. Was it just because Enzo was the hero in this story? Was she attracted to Enzo because she had given her one of the most important people in her life back to her? Was this just gratitude she felt? _No. _This was more than gratitude for a man that had done something heroic for her.

Before she registered it, she walked back to Enzo. She looked up into his lust-filled eyes. "I don't know what…. this feeling is. I can't describe it. I just…" she looked down now at her hands, which shook. "I just know that everything inside me is burning. Burning for…. you," she said as she looked back up at him. He let out a little growl as he reached out and yanked her against him again. This time he took her mouth hungrily. Her hands automatically lifted his shirt up over his head. She broke to look at him. His body was incredibly strong and when she moved a hand down his chest, she felt his muscles ripple under her hand. She took in a breath and then she crushed her mouth to his again. She let him rip away her shirt and then he moved his hands to her bottom and hitched her up, forcing her legs to wrap around him as he moved her against the wooden door that was closed in the basement. Once he had her pinned his hands went to her breasts, filling his hand with them. She moaned and then he was popping her bra apart, freeing her breast. He took one of her nipples in his mouth and she gasped with pleasure. Her hands wound into his hair as his tongue darted in circles around the nipple. His hands worked at her waist, pulling away her jeans and panties, leaving her standing there naked in front of him. He leaned back to look at her, admiring her stunning beauty. Then her hands were undoing his jeans, her heart hammering in her chest as she sprung him free. His body collided against hers again and then he was entering her quickly in one quick thrust. She gasped, adjusting to his large size, and when he saw the wave of pleasure fall over her face, he thrust into her fast and a little rough as they rode their pleasure together.

"Enzo," she gasped as she felt herself tense, the tingling hitting her belly first and then she came around him hard, vibrating around him. He groaned as she clenched around him. He thrust a few more times before emptying himself in her.

They stood, entwined together for a few moments before he leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips and then on the forehead. His breathing was starting to settle when he finally pulled away from her. She took in the sight of his naked body and she bit her lip. He was built like a god, and she should feel ashamed of what just transpired between them, but right now she couldn't feel anything but bliss.

**#### **

Ezra and Freya were sitting at Mystic Grill enjoying lunch when Bonnie and Enzo came in. Bonnie seemed a bit flushed for some reason, but Ezra disregarded it. "Hey you two. How's the spells going?" He asked as he popped a fry in his mouth.

Freya swiveled her head, her blonde curls bouncing as she looked to Bonnie and Enzo. Her green eyes seemed to smile as she looked at Bonnie. "Hey Bonnie," she sang.

Bonnie tried a small smile and then sighed as she moved into the bench seat next to Ezra, and Enzo took a seat across from her next to Freya. Ezra and Freya moved over for them, Ezra still continuing to eat his food. "Well, I found Angela on the spirit plane. I'm having a hard time because it's taking a huge toll on my body," Bonnie explained and snatched one of Ezra's fries from him.

"The spirit plane is very taxing on the physical body," Freya said, frowning now. "You shouldn't try to go alone. I'll go with you. If Angela is there, then it should be simple to pull her back."

Enzo raised a brow. "It's simple?"

"Well yeah. Once you've found her on the spirit plane, it's just a matter of grabbing a hold of her and pulling her back with you," Freya explained and then ate a fry herself.

"I grabbed her hand before I blacked out," Bonnie said, leaning forward.

Freya shook her head. "You blacked out; your body was too weak. You have to chant the release part of the spell in order to pull her back."

"If only I knew that, I could have chanted it before I blacked out," Bonnie muttered, mostly to herself.

"Were you standing next to her on the physical plane?" Freya asked.

"Well no. I was in the basement…"

"You have to be next to her when you do the spell. Come on, let's get back and I'll go in with you. I'll lend you my power to help you get there," she said, taking a drink of her lemonade before batting Enzo's arm to signal him to get up. They slid out of the booth and they all headed back to the boarding house.

Once back at the boarding house they walked up the stairs to the room that Angela was in. Ben was still at her bedside. He was sleeping, but at the sound of the door, he woke up and got to his feet. He smiled at Bonnie. "Oh, hey Bonnie. She's still sleeping…" he said, his eyes going to Angela's sleeping face.

"We're going to get her out Ben," Bonnie said and smiled when Freya took her hand. They moved to one side of the bed and linked hands. Freya said a little chant, and Bonnie felt Freya's power join hers. Enzo and Ezra lit the candles like they have done so many times for Bonnie for spell runs. Ben took a step back to give them space. Bonnie began the same chant from earlier. She felt her mind reach out to the spirit plane and she called out again for Angela.

"You're okay! I was worried," Angela said from behind Bonnie. Bonnie turned and smiled, taking both of Angela's hands in hers. "I'm getting you out of here," she said before chanting the release to the spell. Bonnie opened her eyes and looked down to Angela who had shot up in bed, breathing heavily and sweat was beaded on her forehead. Ben scrambled onto the bed and pulled Angela into a hard hug. Tears were streaming down his face.

Angela looked dazed as she looked around the room and then saw Bonnie and smiled, tears coming to her own eyes as she reached a shaky hand out. Bonnie took Angela's hand in hers and smiled. "You're home," Bonnie whispered and then the four of them Angela and Ben to have some privacy for their reuniting moment.

"You did it," Freya said and hugged Bonnie.

"We did it. I don't think I could have had the power to do it without our help," Bonnie said, hugging Freya back.

Enzo smiled and pulled Bonnie to him and kissed the top of her head, grinning like a psychopath. "See Love, I told you Freya could help."

Bonnie laughed and was surprised at how easy it was to just be like this with Enzo. "Well, that's hurdle one. I still have the barrier to jump over before I can calm down. Fall is just right around the corner."

"We'll do it together," Freya said and linked her fingers with Bonnie's. Ezra smiled and then leaned in and kissed the top of Freya's head. It was a simple gesture and one that he hadn't done in front of others before, but he was tired to hiding affection for Freya when around everyone else. Bonnie and Enzo didn't seem surprised, and Freya leaned into Ezra when he done so, which made him feel happy inside.

####

_August 13__th__, Bella 20 weeks-baby's growth 22 weeks ~Jaison and Renesmee 6 ½ weeks~_

Violet carried Jaison in his car seat carrier into the boarding house with Damon right behind her with Renesmee. Bella was carrying one diaper bag and Elena was carrying the other, as well as a basket of goodies that the hospital sent home with the twins.

"I can't believe they're home!" Rebecca squealed when Violet and Damon emerged in the parlor with the twins. She rushed over to Damon when he set Renesmee down on the table. Rebecca very gently unbuckled her and slid her out of the car seat. She cradled her in the crook of her arm and cooed down at her, waggling a little finger against Renesmee's hand. Renesmee looked up at Rebecca with impossible stormy blue eyes. Her hair was starting to curl and was dark brown. A little curve played on her lips as she looked at Rebecca.

"Aww. She's just so precious, "Rebecca said as she sat in one of the armchairs.

Elena grinned as she set the basket of goodies down and turned to Violet who had taken Jaison out. "Okay okay. Let me see Jai," she said, and Violet handed him to Elena who was just as gone as Rebecca with baby cuteness overload.

Bella laughed at the sight. "Well those babies are definitely going to be the most loved babies."

There was a sudden knock at the door and Damon growled. He went to the door and opened it to look at a blonde Cold One standing in front of him with topaz eyes. Bella crept back to the doorway to see Rosalie standing there, timid.

"Rose?" Bella said and then she reached out and was hugging Rosalie suddenly. All Bella was thinking was Esme. Rosalie had lost a mother too. "I'm sorry about Esme…" she said into Rosalie's ear.

Rosalie smiled a small smile and then pulled back and looked at Bella. "It's okay. I owe you an apology. When Emmett took off and came here…I…. I acted badly. I was angry and I'm sorry, I have no excuses. I'm a bad person and- "

"It's okay Rose. I understand. You didn't like the situation from the beginning when me and Edward first started dating. You were always honest, and well, it's okay. Come in, "she said and stepped aside, brushing her back against Damon, who still let out a growl, but he let Rosalie enter his home.

"Come look at the twins, "Bella said and led Rosalie into the parlor. Elena and Rebecca had swapped babies now, and Stefan was standing over Elena's shoulder peering down at Renesmee and Jasper had a hand outreached, smiling as Renesmee grasped it with her tiny hand. The sight had Rosalie gasping.

"I…" she said softly.

Jasper looked up at his pretend twin sister and smiled a small smile. "Hey Rose. Emmett is on his way over in a little bit with Alice," he said and then when Renesmee dropped her grip he pulled away to let Rosalie have a look.

A bright smile was on Rosalie's face. "She's…perfect," she said and then looked up to Bella. "Can I?" and Bella nodded, smiling. Violet handed Rosalie Renesmee, and Rosalie cradled her gently. "Hey there… you are just beautiful," she cooed. Tears formed in her eyes. "Thank you," she murmured to Bella.

Damon rubbed a hand down Bella's back and leaned in and kissed her temple. "You know you're a better person than I am right?"

"Hmmm. I know," she said and then put a hand on her belly when one of the girls kicked hard. "They're getting strong," she said, and Damon's hand went to caress her belly. Rosalie watched the exchange. She couldn't lie, she did envy Bella for all that she was, but she was learning to accept the circumstances. She was just happy that Bella was so easily forgiving. She just wanted to be part of this family, now more than ever.


	25. Chapter 25

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you_**.

**_Writer's Notes: Thank you Guest and munzke11 for your reviews! I try to keep it updated as much as possible. I also read a ton of Fanfic, and I'm an impatient reader, so I like to keep everyone updated as quickly as possible. As for Rose, I've always saw her coming to help Bella with the babies because that's Rose. She loves children, and she is envious of the one thing that she can't have and will never have. She doesn't hate Bella, nor did she really hate her to begin with. When I read Twilight and watched the movies, I felt very different about Rose than a lot of people did, because I think she's misunderstood. So, I would like for her to be viewed, how I ultimately view her. _**********

**_####_**

_-August 27__th__, Bella 22 weeks, baby's growth 24 weeks, ~ Jaison and Renesmee 8 ½ weeks~_

**~Salvatore Boarding House~**

Bella smiled, watching Damon and Rosalie pose Jai and Nessie adorably for pictures. Watching Damon with the children had warmed her heart. He would make a terrific father. He's been up more with the twins than she has. He insists on her needing rest, and her protests fall on deaf ears because it's not just him making her rest. Carlisle told her she had to be on bed rest now, and that meant no extra physical activity. She figured Damon would be the most upset by this, but she was actually. She pouted for the first few days, but eventually she gave in and stopped because it was clear that Damon was not going to give on this matter.

Rosalie grabbed the fancy Nikon camera and studied it for a moment, trying to figure it out. Violet walked in with Klaus close behind her to see Damon trying to figure the camera out too.

"Pictures?" Klaus said as he handed Bella a bag that had a Twix candy bar in it and a chocolate milk.

"Oh, thank the heavens," Bella exclaimed when she opened the bag and spied the Twix bar. She saw Klaus' lips twitch in a smile and then he was shaking his head as Violet grabbed the camera and hit a button and the camera light flipped up and turned on. Rosalie watched Violet in aww.

"You know, why don't you have Finn take the pictures. You know he's been studying photography, right?" Violet pointed out.

Bella bit into the Twix bar and moaned a happy satisfying moan. "I've been wanting one of these all morning," she explained when Damon raised a brow at her. "Call Finn Rose. He'll be glad to come over and take the pictures. It'll give him a reason to get out of the manor and away from Embry and Kol."

Rosalie thought about it and then nodded. "Sure, I'll give Em a call and see if he can pull Finn away." She still wasn't comfortable with the Original vampires just yet, and Klaus made her feel uneasy, but she put on a smile for Bella's benefit and for the twins. She stepped out and took her phone out to call Emmett.

Violet tried snapping a few shots with the camera and frowned when she looked at the screen and they were blurry. "You know your cellphone can take good pictures. Why the fancy camera?" She said and looked to Damon.

"Well, we thought they would mean more than a picture on an iPhone," Bella explained and opened her chocolate milk. Klaus went over to Jaison and hoisted him up carefully. Jaison's bright blue eyes smiled at him while Klaus gently stroked his chin.

"Well isn't that a sight?" Elijah said as he came through the door with Elena close behind him.

"Oh shut up," Klaus said, but he kept smiling.

Bella teared up all of a sudden and tears started flowing down her cheeks uncontrollably. Klaus frowned at her. "Bella? What's wrong?" he gently set Jaison back down in his spot and stepped back. Maybe she didn't want him holding the children. People were a little on edge when he came around, like Rosalie was.

"Oh, I'm just happy. These tears betray me," she said with a little laugh and Damon smiled. "Yesterday she cried when she dropped the spoon to the ice cream. Little things like that turn the waterworks on," he said and leaned in and kissed her cheek and then swiping away some of the tears.

"Ah. I thought maybe I did something that she didn't like," Klaus said and looked down at his watch. "I have to be going anyways. I promised Caroline and Jake that I would be back to discuss some new patrol schedules with the hybrids and the Quileute pack." He kissed Violet's cheek tenderly and smiled at her before disappearing.

Elijah watched his brother leave and watched Elena cradle Jaison to her. "You know Vi, Klaus has really calmed down a lot since you came into the picture. I don't think I've ever seen him go so long without killing or attempting to kill anyone or thing," Elena poked fun at Violet and Elijah nodded in agreement.

"My brother has been drinking blood bags, and his desire for Elena's blood for new hybrids has gone away completely. You must be having a positive affect on him, whatever you are doing," Elijah picked up Renesmee carefully. She was smiling brightly at the Original vampire, which made Elijah smile even.

"And the twins have had a strange affect on everyone. Including Kol, and he doesn't like kids," Damon said as he watched Elijah coo at Renesmee. "I would say you as well. You're not as serious anymore either," he added.

Bella wiped her face some more as tears started to fall again. "Damn it, when will these hormones quit making me feel so crazy!"

Elena laughed in unison with Violet. "Well, I think you'll be hormonal as long as you're pregnant," Elena said and handed Jaison to Damon before making a "give me" motion with her hands for Renesmee. "I have to hold Nessie before we leave. I've got a tour of Whitmore College today," she explained and cuddle Renesmee before setting her back down. Her hand slipped in Elijah's and then went over and leaned down and hugged Bella. "Call me if you need anything. I'll have Elijah swing it by later."

"Thank you, Elena," Bella said and hugged her back. Rosalie returned after Elena and Elijah left with Finn and Emmett. Finn smiled when he entered the room.

"Oh good, you're here. Before Jai and Ness get fussy, go ahead and take their pictures!" Bella exclaimed and started to get up, but Violet stopped her. "Not so fast. You're not allowed to be on your feet, Doctor's orders."

Bella groaned. "I just want to stand to watch," she pouted but remained in her seat. Damon smiled and then he helped Finn and Rosalie position the twins again to get some really good pictures. Finn was magic with the camera, and they ooed and ahhed over the pictures.

"They really are so precious. You did a great job Finn. When these two are born, I'm going to need you to work some more camera magic for them," Bella said with a tired laugh.

Finn smiled. "Of course, I will. Just tell me when. For now, I will leave to get these developed and get them printed for you. Thank you for allowing me to do something this special," he said with a slight bow before leaving the room.

**####**

~Mystic Grille, Saturday August 31st~

Jeremy sat, waiting on Bonnie to meet him. She had told him that they needed to talk. His phone dinged and he looked down to see April's name. He closed his eyes and sighed. _That was a mistake. _

"_Oh! Hi Jeremy!" April, Pastor Young's daughter, ran into Jeremy at the bookstore. She moved back to town, and she remembered Elena babysitting them as kids, and so they started talking. Before Jeremy knew it, they were heading back to his house. Everyone was gone when he got there, which wasn't uncommon. April was so bubbly and full of energy. "I remember this house! Gosh, it doesn't look as big as it was when we were young," she babbled on. She plopped down on Jeremy's bed as he moved to put the books he bought on the bookshelf. He would read them later. He smiled at April. He remembered a dark headed girl with pig tails, but now she was older, more mature, and beautiful. His eyes wandered down and April caught him. He was embarrassed but she didn't seem to mind. She stood and walked to him, sliding her hands up his hard chest to his shoulders. She leaned up and placed her lips on his. He was frozen. He hadn't begun to think about what was happening. His lips fed hers and before he could think another thought, his hands were under her shirt and he had backed her onto the bed. When he finally managed to gather his thoughts, his heart hurt for what he was about to do. He pulled away abruptly, leaving April on the bed and disappearing out of his room into the bathroom. "What the fuck is wrong with you," he yelled at himself. _

"Jeremy!" Bonnie called Jeremy's name again. He snapped out of his memory bubble and smiled at her. "Oh, sorry."

"Where were you? You were out of it for a while. I called your name several times," Bonnie said, her brow furrowed.

"I was just daydreaming I suppose," he said, smiling a small smile.

"Ah, well did you order?" she asked, and he shook his head.

They ordered some drinks and some burgers and then Bonnie sighed as she took out her phone when it dinged. It was Enzo, cheering her on. She had told him that she needed to talk to Jeremy about what had happened. She wasn't ready to throw away a friendship with Jeremy and a relationship that she worked for. She loved Jeremy, and couldn't stand to hurt him, but she knew that she had to be honest. Enzo understood that, _surprisingly, _and wanted to let her know how sorry he was for pushing that situation. She didn't really blame him. She was an adult; she knew what she was doing. She couldn't blame her discretions on someone else, even if it would make the issue easier to explain.

"Bonnie…before you start. I just…" Jeremy looked at his hands. "I'm not proud of myself, nor would I ever do something like that again, but…" he looked up at her Hazel eyes, which were actually quite calm, and unyielding. "April Young…she uh…she's back in town, and we used to be good friends in grade school, so when she came over, something happened."

Bonnie stared at Jeremy, trying not to bubble out laughter. The irony of the situation made her want to laugh, but she contained herself. She put a hand up to stop him. "Did you sleep with April?"

"No. We came close, but I stopped it," he murmured.

She nodded. "Jer, I'm happy you told me, and honestly, I'm surprised, but I'm not angry. I can't be angry with you," she started, and his hand lay over hers. He was smiling at her, a tear in his eyes. "But…I have to be honest with you. The reason why I wanted to talk to you is…"

"Are you pregnant?" Jeremy asked, his voice low where no one would hear. He saw her struggling to tell him whatever it was she wanted to talk about.

"What? Oh No, Jer…No no…" She shook her head, and then sighed, her eyes dropping to their hands. This was harder than she thought. "I slept with Enzo," she rushed the words out. She held her breath, as she stilled completely, and kept her eyes on her and Jeremy's hands. Jeremy was still as well, she didn't want to look at him, she couldn't. Her heart was hammering hard in her chest as she waited for him to explode, or cry, or lash out, anything, but he was just…silent. Then his hands curled around hers, he then pulled her to where his face was close to hers. He kissed her hard, sliding one of his hands from hers and placing it on the back of her neck to keep her there. When he broke the kiss, he leaned back, releasing her hand, and her.

She stared at him confused. "I…don't understand…"

Jeremy hadn't even thought about her being unfaithful. It was a shock, enough to make him just kiss her and sit there like an idiot. He looked up at the waitress when she brought their food and thanked her. "I'm not sure I understand myself," he said and didn't move to eat his food. He was hungry, but eating now just seemed like it would make the entire situation _less _than it was. They had both done things that would hurt the other, if this was a normal environment and normal relationship.

"Do you love him?" He asked after a couple minutes of silence.

She was quiet. "No. I can said that with confidence. I can't explain it Jer, I really can't, but I do know I love you."

He nodded and decided to pop a fry in his mouth. She did the same. "Do you love April?"

"No. No," he sighed. "She's funny and pretty, but…"

Bonnie smiled. "What has happened to us Jer?"

He let out a shaky half laugh. "Well. I'm not even sure. I just know that you telling me you slept with Enzo should have pissed me off…but…I'm not? I don't know why I'm not; I know I love you, and kissing you was just my way of I don't know, double checking? But I…don't think we should be in a relationship now." His dark eyes looked at her now and saw her hand go still around her drink. He saw the tears breach her eyes and he shook his head and reached a hand out to hold hers. "Listen, I love you Bonnie. I just figure…you wouldn't have slept with him if you didn't have feelings for him at least…right?"

Bonnie wiped at the tears threatening to spill over more. "I just…you're my best friend Jer, and I destroyed it," her heart was splitting in two and she didn't want to do anything but run away from here, out of the public eye so they didn't see her crying over her food like an idiot.

Jeremy stood then, putting money on the table and pulling her out of her seat, like he could read her mind and pulled her outside and away from the Grille. They got in his car and they drove. Bonnie broke down in the front seat, sobbing so hard her head and chest hurt. Jeremy pulled the car over once he got to a safe spot and turned and looked at her.

"Bonnie, hey," he reached down and slid his seat all the way back and unbuckled himself and her. He pulled her into his lap and held her against him as her tears continued to rush out. "You're my best friend too. I wouldn't be able to be best friends with anyone else. We both screwed up, we really did. I don't know where we got lost along the way, but I'm not going to go anywhere. I'm never going to leave you okay?" He kissed the top of her head as her sobbing subsided. She wiped at her face, and looked up at him, her eyes bloodshot.

"Really? I did something unforgiveable…" her voice came out choked.

"So did I," he countered.

"But you stopped yourself. I didn't. I don't know why I didn't. I don't even have an excuse. One minute I'm woozy from doing spells to bring Angela back, and the next I'm in his arms and I just…"

Jeremy nodded. If he had to blame anyone, he blamed Enzo, but Bonnie didn't blame April. "I don't… I don't need reasons, or how it happened, or even when. It happened, it's in the past. Let's move forward."

She looked at him and shook her head. "I don't understand…I figured you would be yelling or storming off, and I'd be crying like this alone, but you're still trying to be my best friend."

"Bonnie, I've grown up with you. Yes, I was the annoying younger brother at one point, but eventually…we became more. You noticed me, and we've been dating for what, a little over a year, but we've been friends much longer. I'm not willing to give up on a friendship like ours. I will always be your best friend, but I think that after both of our infidelities, I think it's best we just give up on that part of life together. I love you; I will always love you and be here for you, but for now. Let's just agree to hug."

Bonnie nodded and shifted in his lap to hug him. She held him tightly. "Thank you…"

"It's no big thing," Jeremy said, shrugging it off. He let her climb back in her seat and then he started the car again and moved his seat back in place. "Okay, I'm going to drop you off at Salvatore boarding house, and then I've got to go meet up with Kol, Embry, and Paul. Unless you want to go somewhere else?"

Bonnie shook her head. "That's fine. I'm supposed to meet with…Enzo. We're going over spells with Freya later." She looked at her hands and then Jeremy reached over and grabbed hers.

"Listen, we're broken up now. It's okay," he gave her hand a squeeze before he pulled up to the boarding house. "I'll see you later okay?" she nodded and got out of the car and walked towards the boarding house. She gave him one last wave before ducking inside.

Jeremy let out a breath and looked at the boarding house one good last time before pulling away. Now it was time to let his heart break a little. He let a few tears roll down his face as he drove to Mikaelson Manor.

**####**

~_3__rd__-Bella 23 weeks, baby growth 25 weeks, Jai and Ness~ 9 ½ weeks~_

**~Salvatore Boarding House~**

Carlisle unhooked the monitors. "Okay Bella, you can move around more. It seems contractions have stopped. I'm taking you off of bed rest, but I want you to not lift anything, take part in anything physical for the next few weeks, or unless I say so."

Bella sighed. "Okay. How are they in there. I still feel them moving around a ton."

"They're growing about 2 weeks ahead of time so far. Nothing major, and nothing that I'm too concerned about. Unless they start tripling in their size, I don't think I have to worry about their growth pattern. I'm more worried of them coming early. Early labor is nothing to play with Bella, and I mean it when I say you have to take it easy. You're only 25 weeks. I know that there have been babies to survive at that early, but we do not want to take that chance. You saw how little Jaison and Renesmee were. Let's keep these little girls cooking a while longer okay?"

"Deal," she said and then leaned up with his help. "I can't wait until I can stop craving chocolate so much. These two little girls only want chocolate."

"Well that's because they're going to be sweet," Damon said from the doorway. "How is she Doc?"

"Light duty Damon, spread the word," Carlisle said and gathered his things. "Alright, keep an eye on her. If anything changes, give me a call," he said and patted Damon on the back.

Damon smiled and moved to her. His hands went immediately to her swollen belly and felt as the girls kicked at him. Bella winced. "Ugh, there goes a rib," she said with a laugh and he smiled and leaned down. "Listen up, stop breaking mommy or you're grounded when you get here."

"Mhm. Sure. They're going to have you wrapped around their tiny little fingers," she said and rubbed a hand around the sore rib. "Ness already has you wrapped around hers."

Damon shrugged. "Isn't it supposed to be daddy's little girls and momma's boy?"

"I think that is something dads everywhere made up to confuse the daughter's because I'm sure it's a daughter is a mother's best friend," she smiled when he kissed her lips softly. "Mmm. I need another Twix bar. More so, it's your daughter's that want one." She batted her lashes at him and Damon laughed.

"Okay okay, I'll go out and get one," he kissed her again and winked at her before leaving her on the bed to go down and get his keys. He saw Bonnie sitting in the parlor drinking bourbon by herself. She was just staring off. "Bon Bon? What's wrong?" he asked as he walked over to her. When she jumped, he put up a hand in surrender. "Hey, sorry I didn't realize you were daydreaming."

"Oh, it's okay. I didn't realize I was staring off," she murmured.

Damon frowned. "Everything alright?"

"No. Me and Jeremy broke up," she said quietly.

"Ah. Well I'm sorry, how dare he, do whatever it was to break your heart," he rubbed her back.

"It was me. I slept with Enzo," she said and took a drink of her bourbon.

"Ohhh. Well, still. I'm sorry nonetheless."

"Thanks. We're still friends, it just feels weird you know," she said and sighed.

"Well, Jeremy is a good kid. First love and all of that," he smiled when Bonnie gave a small smile.

"Thanks Damon," she said and then she hugged him. "You have keys in your hand so you must be on an errand for Bella."

"Oh right. Twix bar. I'll be back!" He called as he rushed out the door.

Bonnie smiled and shook her head. She drank down the rest of her bourbon before disappearing into the basement to start on some more spells. Freya was coming over around midnight to run some of the barrier spells she knew. Enzo was already there, scanning through a new grimoire with Callum. Enzo looked up as she entered.

"Oh, hey Love. Cal dropped in to show us this new grimoire he happened upon when he went back to DC," Enzo said nodding down to the old book.

Bonnie moved to look at it and frowned. "It's in Celtic," she said and sighed. "My Celtic isn't great. Gran showed me what she knew, but she only knew little too. Most witches stick to one language," she explained.

Enzo nodded. "Ah, that would be a problem if none of us spoke or read Celtic."

"Do you understand Celtic?" She said with an arched brow.

"Well, I don't know Celtic, but guess who does." Enzo said as he flipped through some more of the pages.

Bonnie thought about it a moment. The Mikaelson's spoke some ancient languages, but she was sure that Freya didn't because she spoke mostly Latin. "I don't know. I know it's not Freya."

Callum smiled. "My brother and I both speak and read Celtic fluently," he said, looking up from the grimoire to look at a stunned Bonnie.

"Oh. So you both happen to be third degree black belts in Karate, and you speak fluent Celtic. Is there anything else I don't know?" Bonnie was smiling at the surprise of Ezra and Callum.

"We'll Ezra can't but I speak fluent Latin, French, German, and Korean. He can only speak Latin, Celtic, and Spanish." He explained and when Bonnie just continued to look at him.

Enzo laughed and nudged her with his elbow. "Stop looking so star struck, you'll hurt my feelings."

Bonnie shook her head and looked down at the old grimoire. "So, are you translating it?" She said, nodding to the leather-bound book that Callum was writing in neatly.

"Oh yes, that way you and Freya can read it easier. Some of the phrasing is older. It was obviously passed down from witch to witch. I've come across some old Germanic in here, and that, I do not speak, but luckily Klaus does. I'm not sure about Freya, but Klaus does know older Germanic languages," Callum said and then set his pen down and rotated his wrists around. He had been writing for some time.

Bonnie read what he had written so far. He was translating it into Latin, which was smart in case the book did fall into the wrong hands. After a few hours, Freya joined them, Klaus with her since Bonnie text her and told her that they needed his help with some translations.

"Thanks for coming Klaus," Callum said as he moved to let Klaus look at the pages that held the Germanic writings.

"It was an excuse to drop in anyways to check on Bella and the twins," Klaus said with a smile. Those babies had turned him into a giant mushy hybrid, but he wasn't afraid of it ruining his reputation, in fact, it made him seem stronger somehow. His eyes danced over the pages in silence for a while before he held out his hand for a pen. He jotted down the translation into Latin for Callum and handed it back to him.

"This spell right here," Klaus said pointing to the page, "Is incomplete. There's a page missing. I transcribed what I could of it, but it doesn't make much sense. If I were you, I would have Rebecca look at it. She spent more time making spells with mother than any of us," he said and then kissed his sister's temple. "I'm going upstairs to peek in on the twins before heading back. Kol and Embry are on patrol here tonight," he said and left them to it.

Bonnie studied Klaus' handwriting and sighed. "He's right. It doesn't make much sense."

Freya took out her phone and took pictures of the page and text it to Rebecca. "I'll see Rebecca has any luck with it. She might be able to figure out what it should say." Freya had to admit that her sister was far more talented in that area than she was. Then again, she didn't get to grow up as a proper Mikaelson. She had her mother and aunt to thank for that. When she was rescued from her aunt, she wanted nothing more than to just make up lost time with her little sister. They had been getting closer, but she spent most of her time with Jared. They were head over in heels in love with each other, and it had warmed her heart to see her sister so happy.

Bonnie rubbed her eyes. "Okay. Well I'm calling it for tonight. We'll come back to it tomorrow."

Callum glanced at his watch and noted the time, 2am. "You're right. I should go too. I've got an interview with Whitmore at 8am," he folded the book and the grimoire and placed them on the shelf that they had put down there to hold all the grimoires that they had collected so far. It was like a little supernatural office down there. Since moving to Mystic Falls, Callum had spoke more than he ever has in his life. He was beginning to forge friendships with people that he never would have had courage to approach, but here he was, pushing himself out of his comfort zone little by little. Ezra had been encouraging as well. "Goodnight guys," he said and left with Freya following him.

"I'm going to spend the night with Ezra tonight," she murmured softly and Callum smiled and gave her a ride.

Enzo stood there with Bonnie now. "We haven't talked since Saturday before you went to talk with Jeremy. What happened?"

Bonnie stood there looking at the floor. "We broke up," she said softly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mea- "he broke off when Bonnie moved and put her arms around him, her face meeting his in a kiss. His arms went around her and pulled her into him, his mouth opening, letting her slide inside. Her moan was muffled, but he fueled him. He wanted her again and would need to have her again and again after that. She pushed arched against him, moving her hips against his.

He broke the kiss. "Not this time. Not in the basement," he said, his voice heavy. He moved and picked her up and carried her out of the basement to his room. Once the door shut, they were tearing each other's clothes off as they made a clumsy journey to the bed. She landed on the bed with a 'oof' before he covered her body with his, drawing kisses down to her collarbone. His hand gripped her hips before sliding a hand to her inner thigh, feeling how hot and wet she was.

"Enzo," she moaned out when he slipped a finger inside to test the waters.

"Tell me you need me love," his words dripped out, and were smooth like velvet. She arched against him. "I need you Enzo," she cried out and then he thrust inside her, sheathing himself completely. Her hips grinded up, meeting his as they rode each other to their climax.

Afterwards, she lay against his chest, her eyes heavy, the tiredness washing over her. "Enzo…" she whispered.

"Hmm?" He stopped drawing circles on her bare back, but she didn't answer. She was sleeping now. He kissed the top of her head and pulled the blanket up over her when she shivered. "Good night, love."


	26. Chapter 26

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you_**.

**_Writer's Notes: Thank you RenTenTen, kouga's older woman, and munzke11 for your reviews. I've always viewed Klaus as a good guy to be honest. Even though he's done atrocious things. Please keep writing reviews or sending me PMs, I absolutely love the feedback and input. _**********

**_####_**

_September 10__th__, Bella-24 weeks, baby's growth 26 weeks, ~Jai & Ness 10 ½ weeks~_

**~Salvatore Boarding House/ Mystic Falls boarder~**

"Okay, Alice, try and penetrate the barrier," Bonnie said into the phone. Alice was on the outskirts of Mystic Falls, testing Freya and Bonnie's hard work on creating a workable barrier.

Alice tried to step across the line, but she couldn't. "I cannot cross."

Bonnie smiled. "Okay, slip your ring back on and try again."

Alice did exactly that. They had picked an overcast day to test this barrier so Alice wouldn't draw attention to herself if someone happened to drive by. She stepped across the line without being repelled back. "It works. So as long as we have our rings, we should be able to stay within the boundaries of Mystic Falls." Edward stood on the outskirts watching Alice. It would take some getting used to seeing her transform like that.

"Okay, you can give Edward his ring. He'll need to be able to stay within the boundaries. I gave Rose her ring yesterday," Bonnie said and then she hung up.

Alice smiled and walked back across the boarder and walked over to Edward. "Bonnie made your ring," she said and took Edward's hand and dropped the ring into his palm. He looked at it a moment before sliding the ring on his right middle finger. His eyes changed from the bright topaz, to a spring green. His skin warmed, his cheeks becoming flushed. It was a mesmerizing experience. He looked down at his hands in awe. "Wow," he murmured and looked at Alice.

"You have green eyes! That's so cool!" Alice exclaimed and pulled out her compact mirror from her tiny purse and handed it to Edward. He looked at himself. It had been a long time since he had seen himself like this, like…a human. "I forgot I had green eyes," he nearly whispered. Alice just beamed at him. "I didn't even know I had brown eyes," she replied and then they both walked the short distance to her little red beetle and got in.

"This car really sucks Alice. I expected you to have a yellow porche or something fast," he grumbled.

"Leave Lady alone. She did nothing to you," she pouted.

"You named your car…Lady?"

"Yeah, like Ladybug."

Edward tried to stifle his laugh. "Oh that's…creative."

Alice rolled her eyes as they drove back into the downtown area. They were going to scout around and see if the barrier was fully working before going back to the Boarding house. It would be the first time Edward would set foot there on good terms.

Back at the boarding house, Bonnie was feeling a bit more relaxed. Freya poured them two glasses of wine and sat down at the bar in the kitchen.

"Finally. The barrier is up, no Cold One can breach the perimeter without one of your spelled rings," Freya said and took a drink of her wine.

Bonnie smiled as she took her glass. "That is a huge win." She sipped her wine and then turned when the door opened. Caroline and Rebecca rushed in with a bunch of bags. "Did you buy the entire store?" she asked with a laugh.

"No, but we could have. We bought a bunch of stuff for Bella. Her birthday is in 3 days, and we have to celebrate!" Caroline squealed.

Rebecca set down some of the bags on the table and started unloading them. There were streamers, balloons, confetti, etc. Everything was in blue and white. Then there were the other bags for the twins. Bonnie peaked into the bags. "Uh huh, all of it is for Bella's party. I see onesies and cute frilly dresses," she raised a brow at Rebecca. "She's going to kill you for buying more clothes."

"They're growing! They need stuff that fits them," Rebecca defended.

Elena walked in about then with more bags and Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Not you too."

"What? These are not mine. I'm just unloading the car," Elena explained and set the bags down.

Bella came into the kitchen when she heard everyone's voices. "What in the world is all of this?"

"Nothing!" Rebecca, Caroline, and Elena all said in unison. Bella narrowed her eyes. "Did you buy more baby clothes?" When the three wouldn't look at her, Bella crossed her arms. "I'm not sorting it. YOU three have to put them up," she said and moved to the refrigerator and got out the chocolate milk and Freya moved and grabbed a glass for her. "Thank you," Bella smiled and poured herself some chocolate milk.

"Where's the guys at?" Bella said, suddenly realize that they were the only ones in the house.

"Damon is with Stefan, Alaric, and your dad. We say them earlier in town, and then I think Enzo, Cal and Ezra are at Whitmore. Enzo had a class to teach, and Cal is starting as a professor there, teaching…." Caroline drifted off.

"Digital Forensics," Elena said and poured herself some of the same wine Freya and Bonnie did. "And Elijah, Klaus and Tyler are in New Orleans, but should be headed back tomorrow sometime," she finished.

"Jake and Paul went to Forks yesterday to have some sort of Alpha thing with Sam. They're splitting the pack, and Jake is going to head up the pack here in Mystic Falls, and Sam is going to continue in Forks," Caroline said and moved to gather up a bunch of the bags. "I'll go put these away," she beamed and left the kitchen.

"Hmm. And the barrier is up and working?" Bella asked as she finished her milk.

"Yes. Working perfectly. I had Alice and Edward test it out earlier, and now they're going around town testing all the possible entry points," Bonnie said with a smile. "You're going to be perfectly safe. Oh, Hayley is coming back with Klaus and them too. She's going to stick to you the whole month of October."

"Did Vi go with Klaus to New Orleans?" Bella asked and Rebecca nodded. "Yeah, she'll be back with them tomorrow sometime."

Bella smiled. "So Violet and Klaus getting serious?"

"Maybe. I never see them being intimate with each other or holding hands or kiss. I think they're just companions for the most part. Or at least that's how they want all of us to see them," Rebecca said and grabbed up some more of the bags. "I'm going up to help with Caroline, you need to rest Bella," she said with a smile and Elena followed up with the rest of the bags.

Bella shook her head. The twins would never be naked, and neither, she knew, would be the two little girls she was carrying now.

**~Salvatore Boarding House-September 13****th**** 6pm~**

Bella looked at herself in the long mirror. She wore a simple royal blue maternity dress. It flowed down to right above the knee. The sleeves were three quarter, and she wore just simple black ballet flats. Alice had pulled her hair up in a cute little updo that was elegant, yet casual look. She smiled at herself and rubbed her hands over her swollen belly as the girls started to kick and move around significantly.

Jasper knocked on the door and smiled when Bella turned and looked at him. "Well look at you. Pregnancy really does look good on you Bella."

"Thank you. I actually feel good today. The girls are moving around a lot, but I'm enjoying all the little jabs in my ribs and on my bladder."

He walked into the room and brought from behind his back a little box. "Here. Lexi picked it out, but she's helping the other girls' downstairs, so I was tasked with delivering this to you."

Bella smiled and took the box. "Thank you," she opened the little box and gasped when she saw the hair comb. It was a butterfly made with sapphires and pearls. "It's beautiful…" she said and then he took the comb and helped slide it into her hair. "Is this why Alice did my hair like this?"

Jasper chuckled. "I suppose she would have saw this coming." He said and leaned in and kissed her cheek. "You're beautiful. Happy birthday."

Bella smiled and hugged Jasper. "Thank you." She had missed him being around all the time. He spent a lot of time training with the others because he was the expert at newborn vampires. Peter and Charlotte were staying around until after the war, but they were going to head back to Texas afterwards. She moved away from him suddenly. "Ugh. I've got to pee now," she said and turned and hurried to the bathroom, Jasper laughing. "I'll see you downstairs Bella," he called and left the room.

She hurried and washed up and walked out of the bathroom, brushing her hands down her dress. She opened the door to Alaric standing there about to knock. "Oh, hi Uncle Ric," she smiled.

Alaric smiled back at her and offered his arm. He was dressed up a little more than normal, and formal did look good on him. She slipped her arm in his and he guided her down the stairs. There were streamers of course, in a silvery blue and there were balloon arches around doorways. Silver and blue confetti littered the tables and there were more streamers in the parlor. Damon was standing at the fireplace, dressed up in all black like the night at the Mikaelson Ball. His piercing blue eyes always seemed to be brighter anytime he wore all black and it made Bella's heart stutter as she gazed into his eyes.

Damon smiled as Alaric slipped his arm from Bella's. He kissed her cheek and took a step back. Everyone was there. The Mikaelson's, even Freya. The Quileute boys, and Leah. Tyler, Matt, Jeremy, Enzo, Bonnie, her brothers, and Hayley. Caroline, her dad, and Liz. Elena and Jenna. Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, Carlisle, and she spotted Edward standing off in the corner, situating himself behind Emmett and Jacob. Bella smiled at Jaison and Renesmee. Violet held Jaison, while Rosalie held Renesmee. Her eyes drifted over Stefan, who was smiling, his hand tucked with Alice's. Lexi had a shoulder leaned again Jasper's as she even looked on with a big smile. This was the best birthday she's ever had. She realized how big her family actually was as her eyes finally fell back on Damon's.

Damon stepped forward and grasped both of her hands in his. He leaned down and kissed her lips softly. "Bella, you're absolutely beautiful, and I know that you're 19 today, but you're so much older in your soul. You glow so beautiful, and you are a terrific mother already to Jai and Nessie that I can't wait for our daughters to get here and meet their wonderful mother," he smiled and swiped away the tear that escaped her eye. "Words will never explain how much I love you or how much I respect you. You've saved my eternity. You saved me. I was…I was not a great person. I've done terrible things, but you looked past all of those mistakes and you saw me. You pulled me out of the deep end, and you made my life worth living. I love you, and- "he paused, slipped his hands out of her grasp and then went down on a knee. His hand slipped in his pocket and pulled out a small, black velvet box and opened it. A silver ring that had a bright teardrop shaped diamond in the center, was ringed with more diamonds, and four sapphires. The band itself alternated diamond and sapphire and it sparkled greatly.

"Will you, Isabella Marie Swan, marry me, be forever mine, and raise our four lovely children?"

Tears flooded Bella's eyes as she gasped and brought her hands up to her mouth. She started nodding, a bright smile plastered on her face. She gave him her left hand as he took the ring and slid it on her ring finger. It fit perfectly. He rose to his feet and then she was crushing her mouth against his as the tears continued down her face.

There was an uproar of applause from all around the room, and everyone was shouting congratulations. Damon then leaned down to Bella's belly and kissed it softly and spoke. "She said yes to daddy!"

Bella giggled and then she was being swarmed with hugs from Violet, Alice, Lexi, Caroline, and Elena. Then her dad was pulling her into his arms. Tears were in his eyes, but they hadn't fallen down his face. "Bells, I'm so damned proud of you. I love you and I could not have asked for a better man for you." He kissed her cheek as Bella smiled up at him, tears still shining. "I love you too daddy." She hugged him tight before she moved to Liz. Liz was also crying, and she hugged Bella. "Oh Bella, you're going to be such a beautiful bride. I'm so happy for you."

Bella smiled, tears rushing down her face against as she hugged Liz tight. "Thank you…mom." She whispered in her ear and Liz cried harder. "Oh Bella, you don't have to call me that."

"But I want to. You are my mom now, and I want you to know that I love you like you were my own mother, and I know it's something that my mom would want me to do." She kissed Liz's cheek before Alaric grabbed her in a hug.

"Bella, Damon is my best friend, and I can tell you that I've never seen him like this ever, and I'm so very happy for you two. I love you," he said and kissed her cheek and hugged her again.

"Thank you, Uncle Ric. I love you too," she said and then she turned and looked at Carlisle. Her eyes softened. Carlisle had been so amazing. He lost his wife protecting her. He meant a great deal to her and she even saw Carlisle as a second father in her life.

"Bella," Carlisle said with a smile. "Congrats. I love that you're so happy, and I- "

Bella hugged him, causing Carlisle to stop speaking. He was shocked at first, but then he smiled, and his arms wrapped around her in a hug. "Thank you, Carlisle. Thank you so much for being here in my life and my children's life. Thank you for saving Jai and Ness. Thank you. I love you."

"I…I love you too Bella," he said and then patted her head.

Stefan winked at her as he walked over to her. "So, you've wrangled my brother, and made his heart beat again. Thank you. You don't know how much it means to me to see him happy and to be a father. It's something that he had always wanted, and now he's getting that chance."

Bella hugged Stefan, something she didn't do often, but Stefan hugged her back and even kissed her temple. "Welcome to the family," he murmured and then Klaus was pulling her into an embrace.

"Little Swan, you look beautiful. Happy birthday, I would have given you a gift tonight, but my gift is more for you and Damon, for…after the wedding," he said with a smile and Bella chuckled. "I don't require gift Klaus. Thank you for being here. You're my family, and it's gift enough that you're here to share a special moment with me." That made Klaus smile. He kissed the top of her head. "Well, thank you for thinking of me as family. I'll be the best _big brother _you've ever seen."

"Not in this lifetime Mikaelson," Ezra said and grabbed Bella away from Klaus, hugging her. "Happy birthday. I'm sorry I wasn't at the first eighteen."

Bella laughed. "Well, you didn't really know about me," she pointed out and then Callum appeared beside them and hugged Bella, kissing the top of her head. "Well we're here now," Callum said softly and Bella put her arms around both her brothers and hugged them. "Thank you," she murmured.

Emmett was eagerly waiting his turn and Bella smiled as he gently lifted her in a hug, careful not to squeeze her. "Happy birthday little sis," he said, and Bella smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Em." Emmett set her down and she turned, and her eyes landed on Edward's. His eyes were bright green and he wasn't so pale anymore. She could tell that he was tense. He had a small smile stuck to his face, but she could tell that it was strained. She realized that it took a lot for him to be there. She would never understand why he left her like he did, but she was thankful for it. She met Damon because of Edward leaving her like he did. She was now going to be a mother, something that she would have never been if she had been with Edward. She knew that Edward had loved her, or even still did. He showed it in a weird way, but looking at him now, she wasn't angry. She wasn't sad. She felt…. relieved. Somehow, seeing Edward making an effort to be a friend, and be accepting, made her feel relieved and she realized it was because she did care about Edward, not in the same capacity, but she did care about what happened to him.

"Edward," she said with a smile. "Thank you for being here," she said and stepped forward. She hugged him. He tensed at first, but then relaxed and hugged her back. She stepped back and looked at him. He was staring at the floor. "I'm sorry that it makes you uncomfortable being here," she said and then he shook his head and looked up at her.

"No, I'm okay. Congrats and happy birthday. Damon…he's a really amazing guy, and you both are perfect together. You look beautiful, and I know you're already a great mother because of Jai and Nessie, but your daughters are very lucky to have a mom like you," he finished with a smile.

"Thank you, Edward," she said again and then she felt Damon's hand in hers. She looked up and smiled.

Damon nodded to Edward. "Thank you, Edward. You've…surprised me, and I want you to know that you're welcome at the boarding house anytime," he said, and Edward smiled at Damon. When Damon extended his hand for him to shake, Edward took it and shook his hand.

Bella could see Carlisle smiling at Edward. She could tell that Carlisle was proud of Edward. She saw Elijah and Klaus visibly lose the tension they were holding. Since that night at the football field, Elijah and Kol were highly protective of her when Edward was nearby. She wasn't sure what had really changed in Edward, but she knew that losing Esme made a big impact on him.

Caroline then rushed into the room, carting a five-tier cake. It had the same colors of the streamers and balloons and it said Happy Birthday Bella on it. "Happy birthday to you!" she started and everyone else followed suit with the birthday song. Bella grinned and blew out the candles on top.

As the night came to an end, people started leaving out. Bella was exhausted from all the company, but she was happy that everyone had been there. She was walking back into the parlor when she saw Kol with Embry. Kol had a hand on Embry's tanned cheek and they were smiling at each other, like they were in love. Kol leaned in and kissed Embry softly before hugging him. Bella backed away from the doorway and turned and ran into Enzo.

"Hey, there ya go, love," he said as he steadied her.

"Oh, Enzo, I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going."

"No worries. Kol with Embry?" He nodded his head towards the parlor.

"How did you know?"

"Well, I'm a vampire. I know everyone's scents by now," he explained.

"Oh…I forget that you guys can do that sometimes."

"Well, it makes it convenient for when you want to avoid people sometimes," he said with a laugh.

Bella smiled. "I suppose that would come in handy. Have you seen Damon?"

"Oh, yes. He was helping Alice and Stefan clean up in the kitchen. I was actually coming to find you. I've been ordered to make sure you get upstairs and relax. He'll be up shortly," he said and slipped his arm through hers and guided her up the stairs. She smiled and followed. "You know, I figured it would get annoying with so many people worrying over me and doting over me, but I'm sort of used to it now."

Enzo chuckled as they made it to Bella and Damon's room. "Well, you are a very important person, and I've never seen Damon so happy. He's truly happy, and I can tell you are too. Now, go get in bed and rest," he said and kissed the top of her head. It seemed that everyone did that, like she was the little sister. It was such a kind gesture, and she loved that she had such a big family like this now.

"Thank you, Enzo, goodnight," she said and went into the bedroom. She grabbed her night clothes and decided to take a shower. She took her hair down, setting the hair comb on the counter carefully. She then took her clothes off and stepped into the massive walk-in shower and turned on the water. It rained from the ceiling and from the sides. This was her favorite shower and she could spend hours in here if it wasn't for her feeling so tired and needing to sleep.

She wasn't in the shower long before she felt Damon step in behind her. She smiled and leaned her back against him. He kissed her shoulder. "I love you," he murmured, and she turned in his arms and looped her arms up around his neck. His hands went straight to her belly as he rubbed it in small circles. He felt the small kicks against his hand, and he smiled bigger. "I just love…this."

Bella smiled and brought her lips to his. She kissed him gently at first, and then she teased his lips with her tongue so he would open for her explore. He complied, drinking in her taste. He completed the kiss with a couple light kisses to her lips and then he smiled at her. "Mmm. Doc says nothing physical; you're going to have to remove your hand," his voice, deeper, with a little husk.

Bella blinked innocently. "Oh, whatever do you mean?" she said as she stroked his erection with her hand. He groaned. "Bella, baby…" he said and closed his eyes as she stroked him faster. His hands brushed up her sides before tangling in her hair. The hot water poured over their bodies as his mouth sought hers again. He kissed her hungrily and moaned against her lips as she continued to stroke him at a faster pace. "Bella!" he gasped out as she stroked him to his climax. He leaned his forehead against hers.

"I love you too," she said and kissed him softly, before leaving the shower, wrapping herself in a towel, drying off, and getting dressed for bed. She smiled over her shoulder at him standing in the shower, watching her with a big grin on his face. She loved the sight of him. His tight muscles, strong arms, and the dark happy trail. She left the bathroom and snuggled down under the covers and was dozing off about twenty minutes later when Damon joined her in bed, moving to hold her back against him, his hand going around to her belly. He leaned in and kissed her cheek softly before settling in his spot behind her and falling into a slumber with her.


	27. Chapter 27

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you_**.

**_Writer's Notes: Thank you kouga's older woman, munzke11 and Guest for your reviews! Thank you everyone that adds my story to your favorites and follow me. Continue leaving reviews! It fuels me to keep pushing forward! _**********

**_####_**

**~Salvatore House October 1****st**

_Bella-27weeks, baby's growth 29 weeks ~Jaison and Renesmee 13 ½ weeks~_

"There's been a change," Ezra and Alice called a meeting. Everyone was gathered in the parlor at the boarding house.

"A change? Is this a good or bad change?" Klaus quizzed as he stuck his hand in his pocket and took a deep drink of his brandy.

Ezra sighed and looked over at Alice, who was frowning. "It's bad. I catch bigger glimpses of the future. More so than Alice. Her visions…have completely gone away. I got some tiny bits here and there."

Stefan frowned at Alice. "When did this happen?"

"Last night," she said simply, and her eyes fell to the floor.

"I believe they are moving up their attack," Ezra said, and he saw Bella visibly tense.

"How soon?" Damon asked.

"We might have another week. I can't be definitive on that, but…they have some strong allies."

There was a brief silence before Enzo broke the silence. "By strong allies you mean other witches, right?"

Ezra nodded his confirmation and Bonnie groaned. "So, what does this mean? That the barrier me and Freya put up isn't going to hold?"

"That's exactly what we think," Alice chimed.

"What's the plan now?" Bella asked finally.

"We're going to have to be more defensive. We can't afford to leave Hayley behind to protect you now. We're going to have to move you to a new location most definitely, and we're going to have to leave some of our army behind to protect you. It's going to limit us in battle," Ezra said and pulled out a paper from his pocket and passed it to Klaus first. "Freya, can you put a silence barrier on the room please?"

Freya nodded and then chanted something in latin and then the candle flames flew up towards the ceiling before dimming. "Okay, go ahead."

"We'll have to move you to an entirely new location. One that you've never been to before, which leaves out Mikaelson Manor. That's the first step," Ezra said as Klaus studied the paper. Ezra and Callum had wrote down all the possible weak points around the town.

"Well if that's the case, she can come to our house," Edward said from one of the corners. Carlisle nodded in agreement. "Yes, she's never been to our home. I've only ever come to her here, or at the Manor."

Damon nodded. "Yes, Bella. That's the best option," he said looking over at her.

"I don't know. I think it has to be more remote. It's an easy guess for her to be there," Violet pointed out. "Victoria knows her scent first of all, so we need to keep with the idea that the wolves should protect her at the base. Their smell will throw off the Cold Ones."

"Yes, but if they have witches on their side, scent is not going to matter," Klaus argued and then gave the paper to Elijah to study. "This was good. There are quite a few disadvantages here. Do you know how many witches?"

Ezra thought about it for a moment. "I know for a fact, at least three."

Klaus nodded. "Okay. We have Bennett witch, my sister, and I have a couple witches at my disposal in New Orleans."

Jane cleared her throat. "May I?" she said, her voice sounding out like a lullaby. "I know of a coven of witches that are located close to Boston. They will be of great service. All I have to do is reach out," she sang.

"That would help tremendously," Elijah said and handed the paper to Damon. Jane nodded to her brother Alec and clasped her hands in front of her. Bella smiled over at her, nodding her thanks in silence. Jane smiled back at her.

The baby monitor came alive at the sound of Jaison and Renesmee's cries. They woke up from their nap. Bella stood from her seat.

Rosalie moved at the same time, but Damon was already handing off the paper and heading up the stairs before anyone else could move and Klaus followed him up without a word.

Bella sighed and sat back down. The vamps had an advantage because they could move faster than she could. She was surprised that Rosalie backed down. Usually it was Rosalie and Alice that grabbed the babies up before she could even stand.

"So, where would it be safe to hide Bella?" Jake spoke up. "If Jane gets that coven of witches here, then do we still need to move her?"

Ezra nodded. "Well, I would just in case. It's never good to put all your eggs in one basket so to speak."

"I agree. Why not hide her in the caves?" Kol pointed out. The caves that held the paintings of him and his siblings ten centuries prior would be an overall safe spot for her while the war raged on.

Elijah thought about it for a moment and looked up at Klaus and Damon when they returned toting Renesmee and Jaison. Klaus bounced slightly, in a calming motion while holding Jaison and feeding him a bottle, while Damon naturally did the same. "I think the caves could be a great spot to hide Bella and the twins." Klaus said as his eyes didn't leave Jaison's face. Violet smiled as she watched Klaus. He was such a natural with Jaison that it warmed her heart, and she could tell that it made Bella's heart warm too, because of how Bella looked as she watched Klaus with Jaison.

"Can we safeguard her in the caves well enough?" Damon asked as he swayed with Renesmee.

"I don't see why not," Ezra said and then brought a hand up to his chin in a thinking motion. "Well, the caves already hold a magical component. They've been used before."

Rebecca nodded. "Right, Bella should be completely safe in the caves. It's also not common knowledge. The caves can be a bit of a labyrinth if you don't know where you're going really."

"Locator spells won't work there," Freya put in.

Klaus nodded and looked over at Violet for a minute. "Violet should stay in the caves with Bella and the twins."

Violet raised a brow. "I read minds, or did you forget? I'm a great asset to have close by."

Klaus shook his head. "No. You need to be safe, especially now." Violet looked at him strangely.

"I read minds too. Violet it makes sense to keep you with Bella and the twins because you are human. You can easily be hurt." Edward agreed with Klaus.

"They're right Vi. It's too dangerous for you to be in the middle," Bella said.

"What about Ezra and Cal? They're human. Uncle Ric will be there, Dad?" She looked around and looked at Charlie. It was the first time that she had called him dad. He stood sort of stunned.

"Well, I think that Charlie needs to stay put with Liz and Bella," Ezra said and looked over at his brother. "Cal should stay behind too," he said, and Cal nodded his compliance.

Violet narrowed her eyes at Klaus. Then her eyes went wide at his thoughts. She closed her eyes and sat down slowly, her legs suddenly getting weak.

Klaus gave Violet a slight nod when she breathed out and subtly placed a hand over her stomach.

"Now. I'm staying to protect Bella, and the other humans not going into battle," Hayley piped in. "Who else is staying with me?"

Ezra nodded and crossed his arms across his chest. "I've put a lot of thought into this. We need strong fighters at the main fight, but we also need strong fighters to be here to protect. They're going to be expecting us to leave our weakest behind. So, I propose we leave Paul, Embry, Rebecca, and Jane for sure."

Paul and Embry started to say something but Jake up his hand up to stop them. "Paul, Embry, you will stay behind. I will take Seth, Leah, and Jared with me."

Leah started to protest but stopped short when Jake sent her a glaring look. She only bowed her head slightly. Rebecca stared at Jared; her eyes wary. Her heart lurched in her chest. She knew that this was going to be dangerous.

"Okay, I'll stay with Bella as well," Jenna said suddenly. Everyone forgot that she was there. She was just sitting there listening to everything. "Look, I know that I'm fast, but I'm not knowledgeable enough with war tactics that I will be a better help back here. I will protect Bella with my life."

Alaric looked at Jenna and nodded. He liked the idea of her staying behind. He didn't want her to be in anymore danger in battle than she already would be.

"Elena and Jeremy will be in the caves with us. I don't want them to be in danger," Jenna added, and Jeremy shook his head. "Jenna, I'm not staying behind. I'm going to be with Ezra and Alaric."

"Jer!" Elena protested.

"Elena. I have the Gilbert ring. I will be fine. I'm a vampire hunter. This is my drive. I will be extremely careful," he argued, and Jenna bit her lip so she wouldn't say anything. Alaric patted Jeremy on the back and gave one short nod.

"Of course, I will stay behind in the caves," Freya said. "I'm not fierce in battle like my siblings. My magic is bound to that cave, I can protect Bella easier from there."

Klaus set the bottle down on the table and threw the blanket on his shoulder and gently put Jaison on his shoulder and started patting his back. "Well, that is true dear sister. Bonnie should stay behind as well. The coven Jane speaks of will position themselves outside the caves for further protection. If we can deter the other witches, then we'll be at an advantage again."

Damon walked over and handed Renesmee down to Bella when his phone rang. It was Carol Lockwood calling him. He frowned. "Liz, Carol is calling me. Was there a meeting tonight?"

Liz shook her head with a frown. "No."

Damon answered quickly. "Carol? Is-"

"Oh, this isn't Carol. You must be Damon. I'm Victoria. I'm a _friend_ of Bella's," Victoria's voice sounded like a little bell in his ear.

"Okay. Is Carol okay?" Damon asked calmly and Tyler moved closer to Damon, his eyes flashing yellow.

"Oh, no. She's not okay. I might have accidentally killed her. You see Damon, I have an ally on my side that seems to harbor some sort of hatred for you. He's not going to be so happy that Carol is dead, but he did tell me that it would be easy to get to you, through her or Sheriff Forbes. Unfortunately, I could not find the Sheriff, so I found the Mayor instead. Oops. What will this ragged little town do now without it's Mayor?" she laughed, her laugh even sounding like a musical chime.

Tyler snarled and Damon put his hand up and signaled for Klaus. Klaus handed Jaison to Violet and moved to stand between Tyler and Damon. "Okay. Say I believe you, what do you want?"

"To talk to Bella of course. I just want to have a _chat." _She giggled.

Tyler's hands clenched and unclenched. He wanted to break something, so he moved to the other side of the room and slammed his hand into the wall, punching a large hole in it.

"Well, you know I'm not going to let that happen Victoria. There must be someway to come to a sort of agreement. Maybe I can sit down with you?" Damon offered.

Victoria was silent for a few moments. "I was hoping we could avoid this, but you leave me now choice. Just know that your little barrier doesn't work. Tell Bella that she'll be seeing me soon." And then she hung up.

Damon crushed his phone in his hand, shattering it as his eyes flew over to Liz. "I need to get to the Lockwood estate."

"It could be a trap," Klaus pointed out and then Ezra's eyes whited out and then he staggered, Elijah reached out and caught him.

"I…" Ezra's eyes looked over at Tyler who was staring at him now, his pupils rimmed in yellow still. "Tyler, I'm sorry…."

Tyler roared and zoomed out of the boarding house. Flinging his body and movements back home. His mother, the bitch had gotten to his mother. She was innocent. She played no role in any of this. All she was guilty of was loving her son even though he was the monster.

"Chris, Everett, go after him," Klaus barked out at two of the hybrids standing off in the corner. They didn't hesitate and followed out after Tyler. Liz was crying and Charlie had an arm tightly around her as he tried to calm her down.

Edward pushed away from the wall. "I'm going after Tyler," he announced and left before anyone could stop him. He should be the target. Not Bella, not even any of these people. He was the one that killed James, and now this war was brewing that was all his fault.

Jasper crossed the room and put two hands on either side of Liz's face and smiled at her. "Hey, it's okay," his voice was calm and warm, and he sent her calming vibes. Liz stopped crying and nodded before turning into Charlie's side, "Charlie, go ahead and take her upstairs. No one is leaving here tonight," Jasper said, and Charlie nodded, half supporting Liz's weight as he left the parlor.

Damon was visibly shaking; he was so angry. Bella called out to him. "Damon?" her voice washed over him and he stopped shaking. He closed his eyes and took a breath before turning and looking at Klaus. "We need to work faster. Carol is dead, and she's not going to stop. We need to be more offensive now. It's doing us no good to only talk about defense."

**~Lockwood Estate-October 1****st****, 8pm~**

Tyler got to the estate with Chris, Edward, and Everett right behind him. He rushed inside. "Mom!" He yelled out as he rushed around panicked.

"Tyler!" Edward called from outside. He was knelt beside Carol. "She's still warm!" Edward started CPR. He didn't see any visible crescent shaped marks. He saw two puncture wounds in her neck. The blood was thick in the air, but Edward's ring made it easy for him to control his thirst.

Tyler sped to her side. "Mom!" He bit into his own wrist and thrust it to his mom's lips. The blood trickled onto her tongue. "Come on mom! Please don't leave me! Please God!" Edward put his head on her chest and listened.

"IT's there! She has a heartbeat!" Edward exclaimed. "She's not breathing, move." He ordered and then he tilted her head and placed his mouth over hers and breathed in." He did that a couple times and then felt for a pulse. There was till not a pulse in her wrist and so he resumed chest compressions. After a few minutes Carol started coughing.

"Mom!" Tyler pulled her up against him. Tears streaked down his face as he clutched her to him. "You're okay. You're okay." He said over and over.

Carol's eyes fluttered open weakly and looked up at her son. His eyes settled now, back into the deep brown instead of the bright yellow. "Tyler," her voice was hoarse.

"Come on, let's get her back to the boarding house to Carlisle," Edward said, and he lifted Carol out of Tyler's arms. Tyler let Edward take his mom. His own limbs felt heavy, like all of his strength was taken out of him. He realized he gave his mom a lot of blood to help heal her. Chris helped him get to his feet.

"Chris, you and Everett take a look around. I'm going back to the boarding house. Do not pursue anyone if they are nearby. You alert me or Klaus immediately," Tyler ordered, and Chris nodded and sprang off into the night with Everett.

####

Back at the boarding house, Edward rushed in carrying Carol. Damon went immediately and took Carol from his arms. He rushed her into one of the bedrooms on the main floor and lay her gently on the bed. "Carol, I need you to look at me," Damon said as he lay her down. Her eyes fluttered open and looked into his blue ones. He studied hers a moment. "Oh Carol…no."

Tyler pushed past Edward. "What's wrong?"

Damon leaned up and took Tyler outside. "Tyler. She's transitioning."

The whole world seemed to stop moving. Time stopped around Tyler as the words hit him. "Wh…what?"

"Your mom…. she's transitioning into a vampire."

Tyler shook his head. "No. She can't be. She had a heartbeat! I gave her my blood, she started healing!"

Damon closed his eyes. "I'm sorry Tyler. I really am." His voice was soft.

Leah appeared then. She reached out as Tyler's legs were buckling under him. She pulled him against her as he started sobbing. "Shhh…it's okay," she whispered and stroked his hair.

Damon sighed and walked back into the bedroom. Carol was sitting on the side of the bed. "I'm going to be a vampire," she said lowly. She was staring down at her hands.

He was silent at first. "Carol. You're transitioning. In order to become a vampire…you have to drink human blood to complete the transition." She nodded. "Okay," she said and then looked up at Damon, tears in her eyes. "What happens if I don't complete the transition?"

Damon was silent for a moment and then sighed. "Then you will die."

Carol thought about this. "I never…." She closed her eyes and took a breath before opening them and looking towards the door. "How long do I have to decide?"

"Dawn," he said simply, and she nodded. "Okay. I'll make my decision before then," she said and then lay back down on the bed. "Can…can I be alone for a while?"

Damon nodded. "Of course," he said and left her to be by herself. He heard her sobs when he closed the door. He leaned his back against the door and sighed. Carol was a really good friend, and he hated this for her. He moved back into the parlor. The wolves had left out on patrol. Klaus sent the rest of his hybrids out to patrol as well.

"How is she?" Klaus asked and Damon shook his head, moving to get a scotch. "She's transitioning."

"Oh no," Bella whispered. She had rocked Renesmee to sleep, who was nuzzled up against her now. Violet sat on the couch next to Bella still holding Jaison, who was still wide awake. He was playing with a lock of her hair.

Caroline hugged her arms around herself. "So, what is Mrs. Lockwood going to do?"

"She'll decide by sunrise," Damon said simply. He looked over to Ezra. "Is that what you saw?"

Ezra shook his head. "I saw her laying on the ground, lifeless. I…I didn't know." Damon nodded. "Well, no one is leaving here tonight. Luckily this is a boarding house." Damon said as he raised his glass in a sweeping motion.

"I'll go get some rooms ready," Alice said and left, Rosalie and Lexi following her to go help with getting the rooms ready.

"There's no need for me and my siblings to stay," Klaus stated.

"There's not, but I'd like for you to stay," Bella said. "Just for tonight. I want everyone here. We'll sleep tonight and then in the morning; we'll talk about strategy. Jake is picking up Matt and Sheila. He's bringing them here for the night. Emmett already left to retrieve Angela and Ben."

Klaus nodded. "Okay little Swan. I'll stay…only because _you _asked me." Violet sighed and stood. "Ezra, can you take Jaison please?" She said as she stepped towards him and handed him Jaison. Jaison smiled up at Ezra brightly and cooed. Ezra smiled down at his little brother.

"I need to get Bella upstairs," Violet said softly and then Stefan moved and picked up the sleeping Renesmee from Bella's arms. She didn't stir not once as he settled her against him carefully. "Thank you, Stefan," Violet said. She turned and looked at Klaus and nodded. "I'll be right back. Bella is tired. I'm going to get her settled in."

"I can get ready for bed myself," Bella protested, but Violet took her hand in hers anyways and lead her upstairs. Once they got up to Bella's room, Violet closed the door and crossed over to the bathroom quickly. "Do you have any of those pregnancy tests from where you went crazy and tested a bunch of times?"

"Yes. In the cabinet under the sink. Vi you're not?" Bella said as she followed her sister into the bathroom.

"Klaus was insistent I stayed in the caves with you, so when I was mad, I plucked it out of his head. Apparently, he senses something _off _with me." Violet took the pink box out and opened it, pulling out the pregnancy test. "Oh god, how is this even possible?"

"It makes more sense with Klaus. He is a hybrid. Werewolves procreate like humans do," Bella pointed out.

Violet sighed and sat, peeing on the little stick. She replaced the cap and set it on the back of the toilet. "Three minutes we read it, and I'll try not to freak out."

Three minutes passed by very slowly. Violet was pacing. Her thoughts racing. They weren't really careful she realized. She had the same thoughts Bella probably had. Vampires can't have children. You would have thought after Bella getting pregnant that she would be more careful, but she had talked with Elena, and she said that she's never gotten pregnant before, so this just never made sense.

Bella picked up the stick when Violet hesitated. She looked down at it. Two little lines, plain as day. "Vi…. you're…pregnant." She said flipping the test and showing her. "I'm not sure I should be happy or…? Bella trailed off.

Violet took the test from her and then stared down at it. "I…I…." then a smile grew on her face. She felt her heart hammer inside her, and she got a little lightheaded. "I'm pregnant…" She couldn't believe it. She was grinning stupidly now. "I'm pregnant!" She said in a rushed whisper. "Oh my god. This is happening. My cycles…" she started counting. She wasn't always super regular, so she wasn't really sure when the last time was. "I don't even know when I got pregnant." She murmured as she looked down at the stick.

"Carlisle is here. He can do an exam you know. His equipment is here in the room. He keeps the portable here, so he doesn't have to tote it every time he comes here to check on the twins."

"Oh my god…. what if I'm pregnant with twins? Bella, I don't know if I can handle that."

"Calm down Vi. You're starting to freak out. Let me go get Damon," she said and urged Violet to take a seat on the bed. Bella left her there and went out into the hall and back down the stairs. She crept back into the parlor. Only Klaus, Damon, and Elijah were there now. "Hey, uh. Guys. Can you come upstairs please?"

Damon raised a brow and Elijah gave her the same look, but Klaus just hid a small smile as they followed Bella back upstairs. "Hey Violet, I have Damon, Klaus, and Elijah with me. Is that okay?"

"Yeah…" Violet said softly.

"What's wrong?" Damon said as they moved into their bedroom and closed the door. Violet was still holding the pregnancy test in her hands.

"Oh…." Damon said, and Elijah still seemed confused until he spotted what Violet was holding in her hand. "Oh, is right." Elijah muttered. Klaus crossed to Violet and sat next to her on the bed. "You knew…" she murmured.

"I did love, I've suspected for a couple weeks maybe. I wasn't entirely sure, but I didn't want to alarm you if you weren't until I heard it today," Klaus explained.

"Heard what?" Violet looked up at Klaus in shocked wonder.

"The heartbeat love," he explained.

"One heartbeat?" Bella asked now.

Klaus nodded. "Yes, just one little flutter."

Elijah was amused. "Well, this is definitely interesting. Is this why you've been coming over to play with the twins more often the past couple weeks?" he asked his brother.

"Guilty," Klaus said and stood. Damon crossed over and smiled, he slapped Klaus' shoulder in congrats. "Well, congrats are in order."

Klaus smiled at the gesture made by Damon. It was such a strange picture Bella thought. Klaus was tame now, compared to the stories she heard from Damon and Elena, it was strange that Klaus had turned out like this. "Are you okay?" Klaus looked down at Violet. She was still sitting there, a tiny smile on her face.

"Well, I'm sure I will be okay. I'm just in shock. I guess I didn't think…or we didn't think."

Klaus nodded. "Well, I definitely wasn't worrying about anything, but I'm happy if you're happy?" he asked.

Violet smiled and stood, handing him the test. He took it and looked down it. "Yeah, I'm happy Klaus. I mean, I thought I would be finished with college, and married and all of that before I started having kids. Then when I met you, and I started falling in love with you- "

"You love me?" Klaus asked, a large grin plastered to his face.

"I…" Violet smiled. "I do Klaus. I do love you. But when I started falling for you, I gave up on kids. I was going to sacrifice that…"

Klaus smiled and then pulled her into his arms. "Oh, little Foxx. I…love you too."

Tears swam in Bella's eyes as she leaned against Damon. Despite all the bad that had happened today, there was a positive to look forward to. Her sister was in love, and now she would have a bundle of joy of her own.


	28. Chapter 28

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you_**.

**_Writer's Notes: Thank you SuperSlyly, kouga's older woman, and Guest for your reviews! Thank you everyone that has been so supportive of my fanfic! Please keep letting me know your thoughts on the story! _**********

**_#####_**

**~Salvatore Boarding House~**

_**October 2**__**nd**__**-An hour before Sunrise~**_

Tyler sat next to his mom on the bed. She held his hand in hers. He had stopped crying a long time ago, and now he sat in silence with his mom. She hadn't spoken a word yet. He figured she was thinking over all the options. He wasn't sure he wanted this life for her. It was a hard life. He saw how Jenna took to be a vampire. It was hard for her in the beginning, and it took her a long time to come to terms with it, but she did eventually.

Carol stood now. She let go of Tyler's hand as she opened the door and walked into the kitchen. Tyler stood, following her out. Stefan and Alice were in the kitchen talking with Enzo when Carol appeared.

Stefan stood from the table and walked over to her. "Carol? Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"Stefan, can you get Damon for me. I'd really like to talk to him privately for a moment," she asked softly. Stefan nodded and left the kitchen to get Damon. Damon returned with Stefan a moment later.

"Carol?" Damon said, laying a hand on her arm. "We can talk in the parlor," he said and guided her to the parlor. She stood by the fireplace, watching the flames dance as he brought her a brandy.

"Thank you," she said with a small smile and held the small glass in her had. "I've thought long and hard about it. Everything the council stands for is to protect this town from vampires, but…" she took a drink of the brandy and sighed. "I've learned that not all vampires are monsters. There are more than just vampires in this world, and there's nothing I wouldn't do for my son." Her eyes met Damon's and he nodded, understanding. "I'm going to make the change. I watched Tyler fall apart. I'm not ready to stop being his mother and I can't just leave this world knowing that there's so much going on that I can help with. I'm not done being the Mayor of this town, and I'm not done protecting it. I know what my husband was…now, and that didn't make him any less of a Mayor. I can lead effectively still, and as a vampire, I won't be a weakness to this group."

"Carol, you don't have to explain your reasons to me. We're all here to help you heal and transition through this." Damon said with a smile.

"Thank you. So, what's the easiest way to do this? I don't want to ever kill any humans. I don't think I could bring myself to even drink from another human," she said softly.

Damon nodded. "Blood bags are an option. You do need human blood to transition, but you could go on the bambi diet that Stefan and the Cullens use." If this was Damon last year, he would have told her that human blood was the only option, but he knows well enough that animal blood does work for some vampires.

Carol nodded. "Okay. So, a blood bag. I'm assuming you have plenty of those here, this being a house full of vampires."

"We do, in the basement in storage." He said and he led her downstairs. Enzo and Bonnie were down there with Freya. Bonnie smiled at Carol as she appeared.

"Mrs. Lockwood, how are you feeling?" Bonnie asked.

"I…feel…tired? Weak. I'm assuming it's because I need to complete the transition soon." Carol said and Damon nodded. He opened a freezer and pulled out a bag of blood. Bonnie's eyes widened in shock at first, but then she nodded, understanding. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a beautiful lapis lazuli silver ring. It had intricate etchings and pearls accented it.

"Mrs. Lockwood, I made this for you…just in case," Bonnie said as she handed it out for Carol. Carol smiled at Bonnie and took the ring. She turned it over in her hands. "It's beautiful Bonnie, thank you." She said and slipped the ring on. Damon poured some of the blood in a glass and handed it to Carol. She took it and looked down at it a moment. She looked back up at Damon and smiled. She brought the glass up to her lips.

"Mom!" Tyler said and came down the stairs fast. "You don't have to do this! I will be okay," His eyes were wild with fear.

Carol smiled and reached a hand out and caressed Tyler's cheek. "I know baby. I don't have to do it, but I want to do this. I don't ever want to leave your side," she whispered and kissed his forehead. Tears swarmed into her eyes and she lifted the glass again and drank.

####

Upstairs Klaus lounged on Violet's bed in the room that she hardly used. "Carlisle said he would be up in a moment love, stop pacing." He said as he watched her pace back and forward.

"I know. I'm just…nervous. I don't know how long I've been pregnant Klaus and I've drank…a lot."

Klaus chuckled. "I'm sure it hasn't been that long. I would have noticed…I'm sure of it."

There was a knock on the door suddenly. Violet practically flew to the door and pulled it open. Carlisle stood there holding the portable ultrasound machine. "Violet, is this a good time?"

"Yes!" she said and was yanking him into the room quickly and shutting the door. It took Carlisle by surprise a little bit. He looked over at Klaus. "Morning Klaus," he nodded to him.

Klaus smiled and stood up so Violet could lay down. She lay down quickly and Carlisle moved and set up the ultrasound machine. "So how have you been feeling?" Carlisle asked as he turned the machine on.

"I actually, feel normal? I don't feel any different. Is that a bad sign?" Violet asked, sounding worried.

Carlisle smiled. "No, it's perfectly normal for some women to not even show any signs of pregnancy or have any symptoms. It's not as uncommon as you think," he explained and lifted her shirt back, folding it back carefully. He moved the wand over her abdomen, searching for the little heartbeat. When he finally got a good image of it, he hit a few buttons and captured some images that he needed for measurements. Klaus was watching the screen intensely as Carlisle worked silently. Violet watched the screen in awe. She had seen Bella go through this several times, and she was used to seeing a little baby on the screen, but this time, it was inside of _her. _

"There it is," Carlisle said and pointed to the screen. "Violet, you're actually quite far along. Fourteen weeks, closer to fifteen actually," he said and moved the wand around to another angle. "I can look to see what you're having if you two want to know."

"Yes," they both said in unison and then Klaus smiled at Violet. Carlisle grinned and moved the wand around on got another angle. Carlisle hit a few more buttons when he captures the perfect angle. "Well, congrats you two, looks like a little girl," Carlisle took the perfect picture and then went on to get the heartrate before printing the few little pictures, one showing that they were having a girl, one of the face, and one of the whole baby curled into itself.

"Wow. Girl," Violet said as she looked at the printed picture. She looked up at Klaus who was just grinning stupidly.

"I'm going to have a daughter," Klaus said, his voice full of awe and wonder. He looked down at the print that Violet held. He leaned in and kissed the top of her head.

"So Violet, you're farther along than you imagined. Have you been having any issues with your cycles?" Carlisle asked as he packed up the machine.

Violet thought about it. "To be honest, I haven't really kept up with it. Everything that has been going on, I guess I just never realized…" she said with a frown. "But I've drank a lot in the past three months. Will she be okay?"

Carlisle nodded. "Well, I saw no signs of birth defects on this ultrasound. I can take some blood and run some tests, but I will tell you that it's quite possibly that your daughter is growing at an accelerated rate like Bella's twins because of what Klaus is. It's also very possible that she'll have the wolf trait. So, it could just be a normal pregnancy. We'll do weekly ultrasounds like with Bella and we'll know for sure over the next few weeks."

Klaus nodded. "It's odd that I didn't hear the heartbeat until now. With Bella, I heard hers very early on, and I also sensed it."

Carlisle nodded. "I understand. There has been a lot going on as of late. The heart rate is perfect, a solid 175, so there's nothing to worry about there. For now, just cut out the alcohol, get plenty of rest, take prenatal vitamins. Make sure you increase your calorie intake. So far everything looks great. Congrats you two." He said and left them to be by themselves.

Klaus looked at Violet, who still looked worried. "What's wrong love?"

"I'm just worried is all. How could I miss _feeling _pregnant? I still don't feel like I'm pregnant. If it wasn't for the ultrasound, I couldn't tell you that I was. I guess I'm just disappointed with myself. What if I don't make a good mom? If I can't even tell if I'm pregnant, how am I supposed to have a mother instinct?"

"Nonsense. You heard Carlisle. It's not as uncommon as we thought. She's perfectly healthy according to the ultrasound. So let's just keep a happy spirit love. Think of baby names and make another nursery at the manor," he said and then lay on the bed beside her. She reflexively turned into him and lay her head on his chest.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," she said with a sigh.

Klaus smirked. "Well, I am usually right love. You just have to believe in me more."

Violet smiled and leaned up and kissed him. "Thank you. I do believe in you." She leaned her head back down on his chest and he kissed the top of her head. One hand curled around her hip while his other drew small circles over her belly.

Violet was silent for a while. "What about Hope?"

"Hmm? Hope for what?"

"A name. Her name. She's Hope. Hope that this war will be over without casualty, and Hope, for you."

Klaus thought about it for a moment and smiled. "Okay. I like that. Hope."

"Hope it is. I'm sure a middle name will come to us eventually," she said and then sat up. "Well, I want to go show off our daughter, you want to come with me?"

Klaus grinned and sat up in the bed. "I do," he moved out of the bed and followed her out of the room and out to the parlor. Bella was sitting there holding Renesmee, feeding her a bottle while Enzo was sitting across from her feeding Jaison.

Bella smiled at her sister when she came in. "Hey Vi! So? What did Carlisle say?"

Violet grinned and walked over and handed her the ultrasound that said, "It's a girl!"

"Oh my god! A girl! You're that far along?"

Enzo raised a brow as he lifted Jaison to his shoulder. "It appears that Bella is holding an ultrasound."

Violet turned to Enzo and smiled. "Yes. That is an ultrasound. I'm having a girl!" she squealed, and Enzo smiled widely.

"Well isn't this a surprise," he said and patted Jaison's back gently. "Is there something in the water that's allowing vampires to procreate?"

Klaus leaned in and picked up Renesmee from Bella's arms, grabbing the blanket and tossing it on his shoulder to burp her while Bella gushed over the ultrasound picture with her sister.

Ezra walked into the parlor, overhearing Enzo. "Well, you know, me and Cal have a theory on that," he said and looked at his sisters, spying the ultrasound. "Huh, you too Vi?"

Violet beamed up at Ezra. "Yes. I'm still a little shocked, but it's just so amazing isn't it?"

"It is amazing. I think that it makes more sense for you to be pregnant than Bella. Klaus is a hybrid. Part werewolf, and vampire. Werewolves procreate just fine, so it's his werewolf gene that allowed for this to happen," Ezra said, pointing between Klaus and Violet. "But for Bella and Damon, it's a weird occurrence. Cal found something on it a bit ago. He wasn't even looking for it, but it was in a grimoire that we discovered. Jane was helping him with it because it appears that it's an old grimoire from our family," Ezra explained, moving across the room to look at the ultrasound picture that his sisters held. "Oh wow, another girl. That's a lot of girls," he mumbled.

Bella smiled and hugged Violet tightly. "I'm so excited for you and Klaus. Our girls are going to grow up together," she said and then looked up at Ezra. "So, what did the grimoire say?"

"Oh, right. Yes. So, we're descendant of witches. Very powerful witches to be exact. Apparently, vampire hybrids are not extremely rare, but they used to be. Jane remembers there being a vampire hybrid when her and Alec were human. Before they were about to be burned at the stake, they had encountered vampires. Not Cold Ones, but actual vampires. There was a girl a little younger than she that had certain abilities. She was fast like a vampire, and had the strength, but she did not have to survive off of human blood. She could walk in the sun without being burned, and didn't need assistance from magical devices," Ezra's phone buzzed in his pocket. He reached in and pulled it out, looking at the text he got. He groaned. "I hate parent teacher conferences," he mumbled and shoved the phone back in his pocket.

Bella forgot that her brother was a teacher. She was taking the year off from college because of everything going on, but just because there was a war brewing didn't mean that Ezra got out of teaching. Enzo was on a sabbatical and Callum had to be at Whitmore to teach twice a week, so he was always missing from the group sometimes.

"So, does the grimoire say anything about how the vampire hybrids are allowed to actually exist?" Klaus asked now.

"Well, it does. So, Bella's witch nature is what actually made it possible for the twins to exist. If she were not descendant of a powerful witch line, it's likely that she wouldn't have gotten pregnant to begin with," Ezra explained.

Enzo frowned. "But is it uncommon for a witch a vampire to be together?"

"Not really. There are people out there that don't even know that they are descendant from witches. Like I said, it used to be not as common, but as the years go on, hybrids are becoming to be more and more of an actual species," Ezra said.

"So, is it any witch can get pregnant if they have sex with a vampire?" Enzo had a bit more interest in this because of him and Bonnie.

Ezra shrugged. "To be honest, I'm sure that it's not super easy. It's not like an exact science. I know that on average it takes healthy human couples up to a year to successfully get pregnant, so I imagine that the odds are skewed when it comes to vampires."

"In other words, be careful with the Bennett witch," Klaus inputted.

Violet raised a brow at Enzo when he paled. "Enzo? You have been careful right?"

"Why the bloody hell would I think about being careful Vi? I'm a fucking vampire," he lowered his voice and shielded Jaison's head when he cursed.

"Well, wouldn't you think to be more careful after Damon and Bella got pregnant?" Violet asked.

"Fuck no. Why would I think about that in the heat of the moment?"

Bella laughed. "Aren't you a mythological studies professor? Shouldn't you know more about vampire hybrids?"

"Myths as in things that aren't fact, love. Vampire hybrids are not a topic that I specialize in," Enzo argued.

"You are a vampire, so it should be a topic that you specialize in," Violet jabbed at his ego more.

Enzo groaned and handed Jaison off to Violet. "I'm going to go find Bonnie," he muttered, leaving the parlor.

Ezra laughed when he left. "So, should we send out an email making sure that all the vampires know to use protection?"

Bella snorted in amusement. "Right. Like any of them even know what a condom is."

**####**

Enzo found Bonnie down in the basement with Freya. "Bonnie, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Bonnie looked over at Freya and smiled. "I'll be right back," she said and followed Enzo into an empty room. "What's wrong? Why do you look so panicked?"

"Well, uh. I know this is a weird subject love, and I need you to not get flustered or get out of sorts," Enzo explained nervously.

"Okay? I'll try not to," she eyed him warily.

"So, are you late at all? Having weird symptoms?"

Bonnie looked at him confused. "Late for what? Does someone have the flu or something?"

"Not exactly," he mumbled. "Late as in, your, you know…"

She stared at him for a moment before she realized what he was trying to say. "Ohhh. Why would that matter?"

Enzo looked down at the floor. "Well, Violet is pregnant now, and Ezra found out the component that made it possible for Bella to be pregnant."

"Really? Violet's pregnant?"

"Is that the only thing you heard?" He asked in disbelief.

"No. The component is witches right?" She said, lifting a brow.

He nodded. "Yes. How'd you know?"

"Well, I guessed because of how panicked you look right now, and compared that to Bella being pregnant and the fact that she's descendant from a very powerful witch line."

"Oh," he said, feeling like an idiot.

Bonnie sighed. "Listen Enzo, I'm not late or anything like that. I take birth control. I was dating a human remember. It's so routine that I just never stopped taking the pills," she explained and saw him visibly relax. "If I was late, would you have been upset?"

"Not upset. Just scared," he admitted, not wanting to look at her. "I…I know that Damon and Klaus want to be fathers. I don't have a good memory of my father, and so I'm not sure I would be a great father, and well…I was more scared than anything. If you were…I wouldn't be disappointed. I'd be one of those dads you see on TV that panics about where the car keys are when the woman goes into labor," he laughed nervously.

Bonnie smiled at him and then framed his face with her hands. "Listen. It's okay. Don't be so scared. I'm not pregnant, nor do I plan on trying to be pregnant anytime soon," she leaned up and kissed him. He smiled down at her and then frowned. "Wait, does that mean you want to have kids?"

Bonnie tilted her head and looked at him. "Well, yes. I would like children one day. I just…" she let her hands fall. "I just haven't thought about it much since being with you, because I just figured kids wouldn't be in my future." 

Enzo nodded understanding. He didn't want to pressure her, but he smiled at her and nodded to her, letting her know that he did understand. "Well, I'll let you get back to Freya. I know that we're running out of time. I'm going to go talk with Stefan and Damon about some of the news that Ezra shared with us." He leaned in and kissed her again softly. She smiled at him now. When she smiled, he felt it deep inside him. He knew then that there was something about Bonnie that was going to have him falling in love with her. She slipped away to go back to Freya while he stood there a moment before seeking out Damon and Stefan.

**####**

**~Mystic Falls Caves~ October 8****th**** 12pm**

Bella walked around the caves looking at all the cave paintings that Klaus and his siblings had painted there ten centuries ago. Damon watched her move with ease.

"Alice says that the attack is happening right before the sun sets. You, Violet, and the twins will be here until after its all over. Bella," Damon moved to her, his hands going to her face, forcing her to look at him. His blue eyes bore into hers. "I love you. Nothing is more important to me than yours and our children's safety. Under no circumstances will you leave this cave. I do not care what Victoria says or does. I do not care if I die and you hear about it before this is over. You will not leave this cave."

Bella looked up at his piercing blue eyes. She could tell that he was worried a great deal about her. She nodded, tears coming to her eyes. "I love you too. I understand the situation. Damon," she leaned up and kissed him hard, not wanting to let him go. She wanted him to stay here with her and the children. She wanted him to be safe, but she knew that was selfish of her. "You will not die. You will come back to me you hear," she said, and he leaned his forehead against hers.

"Bella, I need you to promise me."

"I promise," her voice was hoarse, almost a whisper. He kissed her again. "I'm coming right back. I'm helping your dad with getting stuff down here in the cave. We don't know exactly how long this war is going to last. That's the one thing that Ezra and Alice can't see. We want everyone to be comfortable. The caves get cold at night," he said and left her standing there in the cave. Elijah appeared a moment later carrying Violet in his arms. He set her down gently.

"Where's Klaus?" Bella asked when they appeared.

"He's helping Freya right now. Damon wanted to get you both here with the twins first before the rest join." Elijah explained.

Damon wasn't long, carrying some totes of something. Charlie followed him carefully, Liz right behind him with Caroline carrying a cooler.

"Who's all staying in the caves with us?" Violet asked.

"I believe, Hayley, Freya, Bonnie, Elena, Jenna, Matt, Charlie, Liz, Paul, Embry, Rebecca, and the seven witches that Jane made arrangements for." Elijah answered.

Violet nodded. It wasn't many, but with the witches, they would be able to stay concealed easier. She would also be able to hear the minds of anyone else that approaches, so she would be able to alert the others easier.

Bella was starting to get nervous. She didn't want any of this to happen. It was her fault that Victoria was even after her. She was putting so many people in danger because of it. People that she loved and cared about. Klaus appeared in the cave carrying Jaison with Kol right behind him carrying Renesmee.

Finn was close behind carrying diaper bags and what looked like a pack and play. He set it up quickly, so Kol and Klaus could put the twins down comfortably. They were almost four months old. They were already teething and starting to roll over. They were wide away, but not fussy. They were unusually quiet babies for their age. They just liked to observe their surroundings. They lay on their backs in the pack and play, staring around them with little smiles on their face as they kicked out their feet playfully.

"Thank you," Bella said, smiling at Kol and Finn as they turned and left the cave. Klaus was standing over by Violet now, his hands clasped with hers.

"You'll be okay right?" Violet asked.

"Of course. Nothing can kill me love. The only thing that could was destroyed. I'll come back to you and Hope. Don't worry your pretty little head about me," Klaus said and kissed the top of her head.

Violet smiled. "I love you," she said softly. Klaus smiled and then leaned in and kissed her lips now, softly. He pulled back and then tapped her nose with his finger. "I love you too my love." He then moved over to Bella. He pulled her into a hug.

"Klaus, please make sure Damon comes back," she said into his chest, struggling not to cry.

"Oh, little Swan, I will make sure he comes back. Don't you worry either," he said and kissed her cheek. He winked at her and then stepped back so Damon could say his goodbye.

"Bella. Please don't cry," Damon said when tears slid down Bella's face. He wiped at them gently. "All we really need is that original hybrid bastard over there to win this war. They'll probably take one look at him and surrender." He smiled at her and tried to make her feel better.

Klaus snorted. "The irony of that statement," he mumbled and then turned to Charlie. "Deputy Swan, I'll have a couple hybrids stationed outside the entrances of the caves. If an emergency occurs and you absolutely need to get in contact with me, they'll be the fastest way." He reached a hand out to shake Charlie's.

"Klaus. You can call me Charlie. You're dating my daughter, and the father of my granddaughter. No need to be formal," he said and ignored the hand and pulled Klaus in for a hug. Klaus had a stunned look on his face. It was one of the few times that anyone had caught him off guard. He hugged Charlie back.

"Thank you, Charlie," Klaus said and looked over to Violet who was grinning like a fool. He winked at her and then left the caves after his brothers.

It wasn't long before the others joined them. Bella looked at her watch she bought for today. It was already three thirty. The sun would set around five thirty, which left two hours before the war would be raging on. She looked up at the cave paintings again, hugging her arms around herself as she tried not to think too hard about the war. She wanted to stay calm for the health of her girls, and for Jaison and Renesmee. Rebecca walked over and put a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.

"Everything will be okay. We've got a lot of people working on our side. Victoria is starting a war that she will lose." Rebecca said, trying to make Bella feel better.

"I hope so," Bella murmured, closing her eyes and sighing. Jaison and Renesmee were sleeping now, and her girls were trying to turn flips inside of her. She moved a hand over her belly, feeling their kicks ripple to the outside. She then smiled over at Rebecca and grabbed her hand and pulled it to her stomach, letting Rebecca feel the rippling kicks.

Rebecca grinned. "Oh my god, that feels so weird," she gasped as one of the girls kicked at her hand. "So incredible," she was in awe. Bella smiled at her.

"This is what's keeping my grounded right now, or I'd be out of my mind right now." Bella explained.

"Have you thought of any names yet?" Rebecca asked as she continued to feel the girls roll about.

"We have. We're going to announce their names after the war. We want something happy afterwards. I'm positive everyone is going to love the names that we've picked," Bella said with a smile.

Rebecca grinned. "Well, I am excited to hear what they will be called so I can stop calling them baby A and B," she said with a little laugh.

Violet walked up just then. "Oh, are we feeling the girls?" she said and put a hand over on the other side of Bella's stomach, feeling the ripple. "I can't wait to start feeling Hope move like that."

"Hope?" Bella raised a brow.

"Oh right. Klaus and I decided on Hope for her name. We're figuring out a middle name. He likes Andrea, but I'm not too fond of it," Violet said with a smile.

Rebecca smiled. "Hope is a beautiful name," and Bella nodded in agreement.

"Hope. Something that we all have right now that everything is going to be okay," Bella said and then Rebecca and Violet put their arms around Bella, and they were standing there hugging as the time continued to pass by what seemed like slowly for everyone in the caves.


	29. Chapter 29

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you_**.

**_Writer's Notes: Thank you Guest, munzke11, kouga's older woman, and Moggy-chan for your reviews! It's been exciting writing this fanfiction for everyone. This was my first one, and so it makes me feel great that people actually like it and are continuing to wait for updates. Finals just finished for the two classes I've been taking, and I don't start other classes until March! So, I'll try to get as many updates in as possible. There are probably like 5-7 chapters left and then it's the end! _**

**_Coming soon will be another Fanfiction Crossover for Smallville/Heroes. It was a special request from one of my silent readers so I'm going to deep dive into that fanfiction only after I have completed this one! So, stay tuned for more! There will be a title announcement for the new Fanfiction at the end of this one. _**********

**_Last note (I promise). If there's a fanfiction you would like to see done, crossover or just a straight shot, just send me a PM, and I'll let you know if I know the series or not. If I don't, then I'm sure I can be convinced to watch the series and bring you a fanfiction for that! _**

**_####_**

**~Mystic Falls boarder: Somewhere in the woods- 4:45pm (45 minutes until sunset) ~**

Damon and Klaus stood together in a small clearing while they listened to the sounds of the woods. They had split in pairs to make a quick scout around before gathering in the center. Fifteen minutes passed by before everyone slowly gathered.

Alice and Ezra were looking into the future when Edward finally made it back with Kol beside him. Ezra came back first, his breathing hard and sweat beaded on his forehead. "My watch showed 5:37pm when Laurent shows himself." He said and then he leaned over and heaved. His body shaking. Damon patted his palm against Ezra's back.

"Is it getting harder to see the future?" Damon asked simply and Ezra nodded. Alice came back a few moments later, blinking and looking over at Ezra. "5:37," she sang and then there was more silence.

Emmett was starting to get antsy, as was Jeremy, when 5:30pm rolled around. Seven more minutes. Seven more minutes before there would be chaos.

Damon watched Jeremy pace, he caught the first scent of a Cold One and he snapped his attention back to the empty, silent forest in front of them.

Right at 5:37pm, Laurent appeared in the small clearing across from Damon and the others. Jake, Jared, Leah and Seth had already shifted and were standing in the trees, waiting for the go ahead to attack.

Laurent let out a laugh. "My. Such a large army to protect one girl," his eyes were a bright crimson, indicating that he had fed recently. His eyes landed on Edward, who stood beside Damon now. Laurent tilted his head. "My. You look rather different from the last time I saw you. How are you Eddie boy?" He mocked.

"Let's make this easy. You're going to die if you try fight. It's best that you and Victoria slither back to whatever rock you crawled out from under," Klaus' voice was sharp, and his eyes flashed yellow. It wouldn't take him but merely half a second to rip Laurent to pieces.

Laurent's red eyes met Klaus'. "You must be the Original Hybrid our scouts have told us about. You killed Riley."

Elijah leaned in to say something to Damon. "They're surrounding us. His speech is part of the plan."

Damon nodded. "Hmm. I see. Well Laurent, nice chatting with you, but you will die now." That was what the wolves were waiting for. Jake and Jared sprung into action first, catching the blur of a baby vamp and tearing it apart in a tag team effort.

Before long, fifty baby vamps were upon them, but Victoria was no where in sight still. Jeremy and Alaric went back to back as they fought along side the vamps and wolves.

Alice flitted around, out of reach, always a step ahead and out of reach of the baby vamp's clutches. The distraction allowed for Emmett to use his strength to rip them apart with ease.

Alec froze mid battle when he heard Demetri's voice. "Demetri?" Alec narrowed his eyes. "Why are you here?"

Demetri grinned as he circled with Alec. "For the war of course. Aro felt the need to…step in."

Alec's black fog filled the air around him, creating his own protection. "Does he now? And which side would you be on?"

Demetri raised a brow as he took a step back from the fog. "Their side."

Alec growled. "Then you will die with them," he screeched and his fog enveloped Demetri quickly before Demetri could move. He stood there paralyzed; his eyes wide. Demetri hadn't anticipated that Alec wouldn't hesitate. They lived together for centuries. Stefan turned, looking to Alec. When Alec nodded, he released his fog and Stefan reached forward and ripped Demetri's head from his body.

Damon spun, catching one baby vamp by the shirt, but another ambushed him from behind, sinking it's teeth into his shoulder. Damon let out a pained growl, before Edward ripped the baby vamp away from Damon. Fire filled Damon's body, and he fought it off, pushing through the pain as he shredded the baby vamp he held in his grasp. The bodies were piling up, but yet Victoria was still elusive. Laurent was struggling to stay away from Klaus, but at last his struggle ended when Klaus flashed before Laurent, his hand gripped tight around Laurent's throat.

"Now. I know the red headed bitch is part of this. I suggest you tell me where she is," Klaus said through grit teeth.

Laurent flashed his white teeth in a wide grin. "She isn't here."

"Where is she!?" Klaus roared, but Laurent stayed silent.

"NiKlaus Mikaelson," a cool voice called from the shadows. Aro stepped out of the darkness and unhinged his hood, letting it fall to his back.

Klaus turned to look at Aro now. "Aro Voltari." He said and then glanced back at Laurent. He made one motion with his hand, Laurent's head coming clean off, ending his life. He tossed him to the ground where Seth and Leah went to work ripping him apart to set him on fire. "I shouldn't be surprised that your part of this," Klaus said wiping his hands on his pants and stepping forward.

Aro looked around at the blazes of burning new vampire bodies. He saw Alec and the dead Demetri at his feet. "Well, yes. An army was created, and a war was to be fought. You didn't think that I would sit idly by, did you?"

"Of course not. You're taking the wrong side," Klaus said matter of fact.

Aro nodded, still looking around at the scattered burning bodies. "You've had no casualties. This war was a lost cause before it started."

"It was. We gave them the option to run away like cowards, but at last, their ego got the better of them. Tell me Aro, are you going to be part of the lost cause? It appears that your brother has fallen. He chose wrong," Klaus said nodding in Alec's direction. He was holding five baby vamps in his fog while Emmett and Edward ripped them apart.

"It seems that I'm not needed here. I must return back to Italy with Caius and Felix. Please send my _love _to Jane," Aro said before raising his hood.

"Oh, and Aro, before you go. If you step foot on American soil again, I will end you. Stay in Italy," Klaus ordered.

Aro was silent before he spoke. "Klaus if you think for a minute that I'm afraid of- "

Klaus was before Aro lightning fast, his face, inches away from his. Aro's eyes widened suddenly as Klaus dug his hand into Aro's chest, grasping his heart in his hand.

"Im-imposs-sible," Aro sputtered.

"What you fail to understand Aro is, I am older than you, I am stronger than you. Your diamond hard body cannot withstand my strength or power. You should be very afraid of me Aro, but it appears that your ego is preventing you from this fear," Klaus squeezed on Aro's heart.

Aro shuddered in painful agony. "I'll go back to Italy. You will not see me again."

Klaus released his hold on his heart, withdrawing his hand from his chest. He smoothed the front of Aro's shirt and smiled at him, patting him. "Good boy. Now, run along. That is not a threat by the way, and it is extended to the rest of your clan."

Aro backed away from Klaus, stumbling slightly before disappearing into the shadows.

"Klaus, still no Victoria!" Enzo called. His shirt was ripped down the front and he had three crescent shaped bites on his shoulder and chest.

"Damn it!" Damon cursed as he ripped his shirt over his head and was bent down over Ezra, pushing his shirt against his side. One of the vamps had clawed Ezra's side, gashing him deep. "Who hasn't been bitten?" Damon yelled.

Klaus turned and moved to the ground beside Ezra. "Ezra were you bitten? It's extremely important that you tell us now?" Klaus began to search Ezra's body, ripping his shirt open on the front when Ezra couldn't speak. "There it is." Klaus moved quickly and place his mouth over the wound and sucked the blood clean.

Ezra was panting hard, but the fire in his chest subsided. "Thank…you," he said, and then Elijah squatted down, biting into his wrist and putting to Ezra's mouth. "Drink quickly. There are more nearby."

Ezra complied. His wound on his side and chest began to heal slowly. Damon looked around and spotted Seth. "Seth! Can you carry Ezra on your back?"

The sandy wolf tilted his head down in a nod. "Good. Take him back to the caves quickly." Damon ordered and helped strap Ezra to Seth's back. Seth sprung into the woods, leaving the battlefield and taking Ezra to safety.

Klaus vomited up Ezra's blood and groaned. "Damned venom," he cursed, but got to his feet like it was nothing. "There is at least a dozen more hiding over there in the ridge. They haven't attacked. I believe they are afraid." Klaus said, motioning over towards the tree line that slopped upwards.

Damon nodded. "We know you're hiding. Either come to your death or surrender." Damon's voice boomed out into the night.

There was a silence before twelve baby vamps emerged. Their eyes wide. They were young, perhaps between the ages of sixteen to twenty at the most. "Oh hell, they're just kids." Damon muttered.

"We…we didn't know," one frightened girl, who looked about sixteen with blonde hair stammered.

Klaus took a step forward. "Okay. What do you know?"

"We were told that there was a war. That we were being hunted, and we were taking a stand. We…we didn't know about the pregnant girl." The girl answered.

Klaus looked at Damon and then back to the girl. "What about the pregnant girl?"

"Please, we don't want to die, and she'll kill us," the girl sputtered out.

"IF you don't explain in the next three seconds, I'm going to kill you," Klaus was losing his patience.

The girl's eyes widened, and she took a step back with her group. "Victoria. She knows that she's in the caves. She has another dozen of newborns with her."

Damon cursed and turned away from the group. "I'm doubling back to the caves," he said to Jasper and he nodded.

Jasper took a step forward, shutting his eyes and then opening them again, his eyes landing on the blonde girl. He stepped past Klaus, his gift rolling out and over the twelve baby vamps. "Y'all did the right thing surrendering like that. Unfortunately for y'all, we don't take surrenders." He held up a hand and made a motion and Peter and Char stepped out. "You don't want this life, and I don't have the time to teach you," Jasper's eyes darkened.

Klaus watched as Jasper's demeanor changed. "My my, the God of War has returned."

Lexi's brows knitted together. "What does he mean? Surrendering was an option." She protested.

"That was before the war started. Stay out of his way. The God of War does not play nice," Klaus warned. Then in a flash Jasper, Peter and Char were ripping apart the twelve vamps and setting them ablaze.

Edward and Rosalie grimaced, looking away while Lexi clasped a hand over her mouth. This was not the Jasper that she had come to love. He was…brutal.

Jasper walked over and reached into Elijah's pocket and pulled out his handkerchief and wiped at his hands. "We should join Damon at the caves. This war isn't over yet," he said simply and flashed away towards the caves.

###

**~Mystic Falls Caves~**

Seth bounded down in the caves with Ezra on his back. Charlie and Liz rushed to help unstrap Ezra. Embry shifted in the corner and pulled his shorts on quickly. "He was hurt, but Klaus and Elijah saved him. He'll be okay." Embry said quickly before Bella and Violet could get worked up. Callum went to his brother's side immediately, looking him over.

Bella looked at Seth. "Is Damon okay?"

Seth nodded his head in response and Bella sighed with relief. Suddenly they heard a scream at the entrance of the cave. Embry shifted quickly, rushing out to the mouth of the cave, Paul right behind him. Rebecca wasn't far behind. Jenna stood there tangled with Victoria. Victoria was holding Jenna's heart in her hand. Jenna's face started to gray, and Victoria let her body slide to the ground. Behind her were twelve newborn vamps, their eyes reflecting the same crimson red as hers.

"Oops," Victoria said with a snarling smirk. She leaped backwards as Paul lunged at her, snapping his massive jaws at her. "Bad doggy," her voice sang as she retreated out of reach. Embry lunged at her from the other side, but she was faster than they anticipated. She reached out and struck Embry hard in the side, sending him flying. Seth lunged now, but her foot connected with his ribs, sending him hurling back with a pained whine.

Paul growled as he planted his feet. Rebecca appeared next to Paul. "You'll have to get through me before you can breach this cave." Rebecca clenched her hands into tight fists as she waited for Victoria to make her move.

Victoria tilted her head at Rebecca and then her expression changed, darkened. Damon was standing there now, his shirt torn, and blood soaked. Klaus wasn't far behind. Kol, Finn, Jake and Jared fell in behind Victoria and the other vamps, trapping them in between. Their only choice was to fight.

In the caves Ezra was sitting up better now. Bella was kneeling on the ground next to him when Violet's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh no," she gasped and looked over at Elena.

Elena moved towards them. "Violet, what happened? Is Jeremy okay?"

Violet nodded. "Elena, it's your aunt…I'm so so sorry," she said tearing brimming her eyes.

"What? No…no…no" Elena's hands fisted in her hair and then Bonnie was moving towards her. "Elena, listen stop. I need you to focus. We can't lose our minds. I need to concentrate really hard okay to try and help the best I can. Please, pull yourself together."

Elena's face was streaked with tears as she nodded, taking deep breaths. Bonnie was right. She had to keep it together, especially for Jeremy, who was out there fighting to protect them.

Ezra groaned as he tried to get to his feet. Freya moved over to him, her soft hands helping him to his feet. She helped him out of his shirt the rest of the way and looked over the wound on his chest. The white crescent scar was there. The wound healed up nice, and the gash in his side had completely disappeared. "You're okay. Why don't you drink some water? I'm going to help Bonnie okay?" She said and helped him over to a folding chair and sat him down. Liz grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to him. Charlie went to Elena, who was trying not to hyperventilate. He sighed and then pulled her into an embrace. He looked at Liz over the top of her head, frowning. Elena cried into Charlie's shirt softly as she wept for her aunt.

Topside, Victoria was trying to think through all her options. She didn't have the witches anymore. Once they figured out a coven was fighting against them, they decided to be unloyal and desert the cause, but not before giving her the location of Bella. Her eyes darted around the group that stood firmly to protect Bella. She gritted her teeth and then smiled. She could take out the vulnerable first, the humans that pathetically tried to help, but she knew that she would die. When she did die, she would be reunited with her love finally.

She made a motion with her hand and the newborns launched themselves into attack. Victoria caught Caroline by the throat when she rushed one of the newborn vamps. Caroline growled, swinging her legs around Victoria and using her own hands, ripped her hands away from her throat and then flipped Victoria over, flinging her away from her. Victoria landed gracefully like a cat.

"You're not stronger than me you red headed bitch," Caroline spat. Jacob growled as she lashed out at Victoria from behind. She spun around, catching Jacob in a bearhug grip.

"Jacob!" Caroline screamed, and moved towards Victoria. Victoria squeezed Jacob, crushing his ribs inward and then releasing him, darting away from Caroline.

Caroline went to Jacob's side immediately, her hands frantically moving over him. The distraction caused Enzo to glance away briefly, only to be grabbed from behind by one of newborn vamp and another moving towards him with a stake at lightning speed.

Before Enzo could react, Finn put himself in between the stake and Enzo. The stake pierced Finn's back, and he swung around, grabbing the vamp and ripping him in two, while Enzo flipped the other vampire over onto the ground. He brought his foot down on the vamp's head, severing it completely.

Finn winced in pain from the stake attack, and Enzo reached over and slid it out carefully. "Thanks mate," he said and then they set fire to the vamp.

Edward was struggling with two newborn vamps when Stefan jumped in to help, helping Edward rip them apart and set them ablaze.

By the end of it, Victoria stood there panting while fiery piles of bodies scattered around her.

"You're the last," Damon said, nursing his right arm slightly. "Just let us kill you. You're not going to escape."

Victoria smiled and lunged forward, but Klaus caught her by the waist with one arm and then with the other, he ripped her head back, nearly breaking it. "It's over," Klaus whispered in her ear, and then ripped her head off all the way. He threw her body towards Jared and the other wolves, who tore her apart. They piled her up and then Damon walked over and lit her on fire. He turned his attention back to Jacob now. He half limped over to where Caroline sat on the ground next to him crying.

"Damon, he's hurt badly," she sobbed. Jacob whined, his breathing ragged and strained.

Carlisle moved to his side now, his own clothes tattered, and his face smeared with blood. He leaned his ear down to Jacob's chest, listening carefully. "One of his lungs is filling with fluid. His lung is collapsing. Edward, go and get the bag down in the cave. I have some supplies I brought just in case of emergency." He ordered and Edward ran down into the cave, startling everyone down there.

"Carlisle's bag?" Edward rushed out. Bella scrambled to her feet, moving over to the left side where the cooler sat and grabbed the bag that Carlisle brought down earlier in the day. She handed it to Edward, and before she could ask him what happened, he disappeared as quickly as he appeared. The panicked look on his face, made Bella worry. She turned to Violet.

"Do you know what happened?"

Violet shook her head. "Sorry. I was afraid to see into his head. I don't want to Bella. I think we just need to wait until Damon or Klaus come down to us."

Bella frowned. "But something is wrong. I have to know what's going on," she said defiantly and started towards the entrance.

"Bella! You promised Damon!" Violet shouted after her sister. That made Bella stop and turn to face her sister.

"Then tell me what is going on!" She pleaded.

Violet looked at her sister a moment and then gave in, closing her eyes. Bella watched her sister's face for any sign of grief.

Violet opened her eyes and sighed. "Jake got hurt really bad. Carlisle is trying to fix it now. Relax. Damon is okay."

"Jake!" Bella cried out and looked towards the mouth of the cave. "How bad is it?"

Violet was silent. "I'm not sure."

"Please Jake, be okay," Bella whispered, biting her lip and placing a hand over her belly when the girls started kicking hard.

Alaric knelt down beside Jenna with Jeremy. Jeremy was sobbing holding Jenna to him. Alaric's eyes were red with tears as he tried to collect himself. He couldn't fall apart here and now. Jeremy was already losing it and he was sure that Elena was losing it as well.

"Jeremy, you have to let me take her," Alaric forced the words out. Jeremy shook his head.

"She was supposed to be safe Ric," Jeremy sobbed out. "Why would she try to fight?"

Alaric was silent. "Jenna told me yesterday that she would…" he paused, forcing his tears back. "She would protect Bella at all costs, and the children. Jenna…. she wouldn't want you to be like this Jer," his voice was hoarse. "Let me take her. Let me take care of her okay. Go down to your sister. She needs you too." He leaned over and kissed the top of Jeremy's head. "Go on," he said reaching for Jenna. Jeremy let Alaric take Jenna as he stumbled to his feet. Stefan and Emmett moved to his side and put their arms around him to help him walk. Jeremy's legs were like jelly. He let them help him down into the caves.

Caroline ran her hand over Jacob's fur gently. "Jake, you can't leave me ever okay. I love you do you understand me. Don't you dare die on me." She commanded him when his breathing shuddered. His brown eyes looked tired.

Carlisle was trying to find the right spot to shove the tube in to drain the fluid away from his lungs. When he found the source, he punctured the area, and shoved the tube in quickly, relieving the lung of the fluid. The fluid poured out of the tube and Jake took a deep breath.

"Jacob, you can't shift back until I get this part fixed okay. Once all the fluid is gone, then I want you to shift back so I can treat you better. I'm not a veterinarian." Carlisle said and Jacob tilted his head in response.

Klaus put a hand on Damon's shoulder, who was standing there watching Carlisle work. "Come on, let's go down and check on the girls." Damon nodded, looking up at Edward. "Stay here and scout the area with Jasper, and Kol. Make sure that we're alone now."

Edward nodded, following the order, and leaving with Jasper and Kol to scout around the area while Damon and Klaus disappeared in the caves.

When Damon appeared, Bella moved to throw her arms around him quickly, bringing her mouth to his.

Damon pulled back and smiled down at her. "Hey. I'm okay," he said, brushing his fingers over her temples, moving her hair out of her face.

She looked over his body, seeing the crescent scars. "You're not. You were bitten."

Damon shrugged. "Like a mosquito bite. I'm fine. I'll heal fine. Are you okay?"

Bella shook her head. "I won't be okay until Jake is okay."

Damon nodded and then kissed her forehead, before moving away to go check on Renesmee and Jaison. They were sleeping in the pack and play. He turned attention on Ezra who was looking pale still. "Hey, you feel okay?"

Ezra smiled a tired smile. "I'm fine. I'm all healed up. Thanks for having my back man. If you hadn't reacted as fast as you did, I'm pretty sure that vamp would have pulled my spleen out." He chuckled and coughed.

Damon smiled. "Well, I couldn't let you die. Bella would have been pissed." Ezra smiled and nodded. "Yeah, she might have been."

Klaus and Violet were in an embrace now. He was stroking her hair with one hand and the other was on her belly. She was calmer now. She knew that Klaus would be okay because he couldn't die, but it didn't stop her from worrying about him the whole time.

Elijah made it down into the caves now, spotting Jeremy and Elena holding each other. Elena looked up at him and she reached a hand out to him. Elijah moved to her, putting his arms around both Jeremy and Elena as they both wept about Jenna.

###

**~Salvatore Boarding House~**

_October 15__th__, Bella 29 weeks, baby's growth 31 weeks, Jaison and Renesmee~15 1/12 weeks, Violet 17 weeks~_

A whole week passed since the war. Jacob's recovery was going slow, but Caroline stayed by his side every day, never leaving. He was in his human form now, bandaged up. There was a funeral for Jenna. They covered it up of course with Liz's help. They had a closed casket service for her.

Damon walked in the parlor, where Elena was sitting on the couch alone. He walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured her a drink and brought it to her. The funeral was over so quick, and only close friends and relatives had shown up for the service.

"Hey, you okay?" Damon asked as he sat down next to her. Elena looked up at Damon and sighed, taking the drink. "I'm not sure I'll ever be okay. People I love keep dying around me. First my parents, and now Jenna. Alaric said he was going to move out of the house, but me and Jeremy convinced him to stay. I'm an adult, but Jer isn't. I could be his guardian, but it makes more since for Alaric to do it." She said and took a long drink of the whiskey Damon brought her.

Damon nodded. "Well, I know it's all really shitty circumstances. You've been through a hell of a lot in the past couple years. It's like a roller coaster ride that you can never get off. Jenna didn't like me very much in the beginning, but towards the end we had some chats. She knew that the war was going to be brutal. She made me promise something Elena, and I intend to keep that promise."

Elena looked at him confused. "Why would Jenna want _you _to do anything for her?"

"I promised her I'd look out for Jeremy if something were to happen to her. She knew that Ric would step up and take care of you both, but I'm tied to you and Jeremy because of Bella. She belongs to Ric's family, and you and Jeremy are Ric's family now. Jeremy is young, and I will make sure that nothing happens to him. So, if you go to college or feel guilty and don't go for whatever reason, don't. I will be right here taking care of him if you need me to."

Elena was silent for a long moment. "Thank you, Damon. That means a lot," she smiled and looked down at her whiskey glass. "You know. Bella has really made a big change in you. I don't think I've ever seen you this happy before. I don't hate you anymore for the terrible things you've done in the past. I can forgive them because you've become a better person. I'm really happy for you and Bella. Having a family and starting a real life."

He smiled at her. "Thank you. In all honesty I wasn't sure what it was about her that changed my feelings about you. I was in love with you Elena. I lashed out and acted badly because of Stefan had everything that I wanted. It's not an excuse, nothing could ever excuse my past, but I was in love with you. Or so I thought I was. Then Bella appeared and like magic, I lost sight of you and only saw her. She's my own personal unicorn so to speak. Super rare, but once you find one and earn it's trust, they'll never leave your side."

Elena chuckled. "You're definitely sappier than before." She smiled. "Thank you, Damon. I feel better now."

He smiled. "Good. Now Alaric is waiting with Jeremy in the car to take you guys home." She smiled and stood with Damon. She hugged him, and he hugged her back. "Good night Elena," he said, and she smiled. "Good night Damon," and she set her glass down and left the parlor to join her brother and Alaric in the car.

Damon stood there for a minute, looking into the dancing flames in the fireplace. Bella appeared next to him.

"Hey, you," she said softly, and he looked over at her and smiled. "Hey. What are you doing out of bed?" He said and moved to pull her into his arms.

"You weren't there. I know Carlisle told me to rest, but I couldn't. I'm just worried about Elena and Jeremy. I'm worried about Jake, and I'm worried about Jane and Alec. Alec killed his brother basically last week, and it's something that I think he's struggling with. We're lucky there weren't more casualties, and there almost was, but even with all of that behind us, I'm still always waiting for the other shoe to drop." She said and sighed, leaning her head against his chest.

"It's okay to be worried. A lot went on. Jacob is recovering. Caroline is with him. Alaric is there for Elena and Jeremy. Jane and Alec are going to be fine. They are two of the most powerful Cold Ones in existence. They will be okay. As for Ezra, he's doing perfectly fine. He can focus on teaching now instead of having to use a bunch of subs for his classrooms. Enzo is thinking about ending his sabbatical early and returning to Whitmore to teach again with Callum," he said and stroked her hair and swayed with her a little.

Bella sighed. "You're right. Things will settle, and people will move on. Jasper and Lexi are planning on leaving with Peter and Char for Texas. Peter and Char really like their rings that Bonnie made them, and Lexi is enjoying her new daylight ring."

"Mhm, and Matt and Hayley hit it off, and are trying to be secret about whatever it is they're doing."

"Yeah, they're not as secretive as they think they are," she agreed.

"Stefan and Alice are planning a road trip, Emmett and Rose are taking another honeymoon of sorts to rekindle their _romance._" Damon said.

"How do you know all of these things?"

"Hmm. I'm incredibly brilliant when it comes to my hearing capabilities," he said and leaned down and kissed her softly. "Come on, let's get to bed. You're exhausted, I'm actually exhausted, and the Doc said you need to be off your feet." He picked her up with ease and carried her up the stairs to their bedroom and lay her on the bed gently. "I'm going to check on Jai and Ness really quick, and then I promise I'll be in this bed lying right next to you."

"You better be. Don't make me get up and come find you," she joked.

He grinned at her and left the room and went to the twin's nursery. Jaison was sleeping soundly, but Renesmee was awake, laying on her back and staring at her baby mobile of stars and moons. Her bright ocean blue eyes looked up at Damon as he looked in on her. She smiled big for him and kicked her feet playfully and was blowing bubbles at him.

He smiled down at her. "Hey Nessie, you're wide awake and playful," he said in a calming voice. She blew more bubbles and made some cooing noises.

He reached in and picked her up, cradling her to him. Her hands reached up and touched at his face gently. "Du..da….dadadada," Renesmee cooed some more.

Damon looked down at her in shock. "Are you trying to talk to me?" he asked, still stunned.

"Du…da…dadada," she cooed some more. It made him smile wide and he left the nursery with her and walked back to his and Bella's room. She was sitting up in bed reading a book when he came in.

"Bella listen to Nessie," he said and moved to the bed and sat down.

Renesmee cooed and smiled at Damon still. "Du…dadada," she said and then she hiccupped.

"Damon! She's saying her first words!" Bella beamed brightly at Renesmee.

"Is that what the twins are going to grow up thinking? That you and I are her mom and dad?" Damon asked suddenly, but he didn't look at Bella. He was still staring down at Renesmee, who gave him a big yawn.

Bella never thought about it before. They had adopted Jaison and Renesmee officially. They were legally their parents. It never dawned on her before that they would be called anything because of the war and everything else that was happening. "I mean, I would want to tell them the truth when they could understand and it was more age appropriate, but I don't think it's wrong for them to call us mom and dad. We are their parents."

Damon nodded and smiled. "Well in that case. She said dada first," he teased.

Bella scoffed at him but smiled big at him. "Well, dada is easier to say than mama, so don't let it all go to your head."

He leaned over and kissed her softly before leaning over and kissing Renesmee's forehead. Her eyes drooped a little, and she blinked a few times before she let sleep overtake her. Damon smiled at her and then stood, and carefully walked back to the nursery, careful not to wake her as he lay her back in her crib to sleep. "Sleep tight little one," he whispered to her before cracking the nursery door and returning back to the bedroom.


	30. Chapter 30

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you_**.

**_Writer's Notes: Thank you Guest, munzke11, and kouga's older woman for your reviews! Closure is always good! _**********

**_####_**

**~Mikaelson Manor~**

_**October 29**__**th**__** Violet~ 19 weeks**_

Violet poked at the small little bulge that was starting to show itself on her belly. She was still so little, but literally halfway through the pregnancy already. Carlisle insisted that Hope was okay and growing perfectly fine. In fact, her growth was accelerated like Bella's twins she was carrying. While she was only 19 weeks pregnant, Carlisle said that Hope was more like 23 weeks. That was a whole four-week difference and it worried Klaus, but Carlisle said that as long as she didn't just start accelerating every day, she would be fine.

Klaus found Violet staring in the mirror at herself when he came into the bedroom. "You look perfect."

She turned to look at him, dropping her shirt to cover her belly. "Oh. It's not that. I'm just not showing very much is all."

He leaned in and kissed her softly. "Hmm, well I believe the doctor said that everything is normal, and all the tests came back normal. You're not even anemic," he rubbed his hand over her belly.

"I know! I didn't get any pregnancy symptoms like Bella did," she pouted.

"You're complaining about not getting morning sickness?" He raised a brow.

"I know that sounds stupid, but…I wanted to experience it all. I guess it doesn't really make sense." She muttered.

He laughed. "Well, nothing ever makes sense in this world anymore. Just trust the ultrasounds and the doctor. There's nothing to stress or worry about other than what color the other nursery is going to be."

"You don't want to just use the same nursery that we made here for the twins?"

"Of course not. Hope will have her own room. The other nursery is more like…a playroom really for Jai and Nessie when they come over, and whenever the girls come over as well." Klaus said and moved over to the nightstand by the bed and picked up the color swatches and handed them to her. "Pick a color, design it however you want. If you want her to be a princess, we'll go all out. If you want me to hire an interior designer, I will do that as well."

Violet snorted. "Klaus, she's a baby, she's not going to care about what her room looks like until she's like a teenager."

A smile played on his lips. "Yes, but _you _care. I love you," he said and stepped to her and kissed her again softly. "I've got some errands to run in New Orleans for next week. You'll be here alone. Why don't you go and stay with Bella while I'm gone?"

"I can come with you?"

"I rather you stay here. New Orleans isn't exactly the safest place right now. Marcell is having a hard time with some of the witches there. Freya is going to come and help smooth things over, but I would much rather you stay here. I promise I'll be back before you know it," he said and kissed her again.

She sighed and looked down at the swatches that she held in her hands. "Okay. Well, I'm going to get the nursery done then next week. I'll probably spend thousands of dollars and all of that jazz," she teased.

"You have a credit card in your name love. Spend whatever you want," he said, even though he knew that she wouldn't spend crazily like she tried to suggest.

"I'll just have Elena come over and stay with me for the week. I'm sure she'll have fun helping with the nursery while you and your siblings are gone."

He smiled. "That's a wonderful idea. Invite Caroline and Lexi too." He kissed her one last time before leaving her alone.

She sighed and sat down on the side of the bed. Klaus being gone for a whole week was going to kill her. She plopped backwards on the bed with another sigh and stared up at the ceiling. She felt a little flutter on the inside that made her jolt back up.

"Was that you Hope?" She said out loud, with a wide grin on her face. She felt some more fluttering and she placed both her hands on her belly and smiled. She could feel Hope fluttering around inside her now and that was good enough to replace her envy of Bella's pregnancy symptoms.

####

**~Salvatore Boarding House~ **

**[October 29****th****]**

_**Bella 31 weeks, baby's growth 33 weeks ~Jai and Ness 17 ½ weeks~**_

Bella lay on the couch in the parlor with a blanket pulled around her. October was getting colder out, and her favorite place was now in the parlor in front of the fireplace. Carlisle told her that she had to stay off her feet now until the twins came. He said that they might make their appearance in a few weeks. Twins usually came early, and it was rare to carry full term, but he was determined to make sure they wouldn't come just yet. He had checked her earlier last week to make sure she wasn't dilating yet, and she wasn't so the worry was cast aside for now. Halloween was in two days and naturally Caroline was throwing a big event down at the Grille. She wouldn't be able to make it, but Damon could bring Jaison and Renesmee out so they wouldn't miss their first Halloween.

She was reading a book when Jasper walked in. He smiled at her. "I know I'm supposed to say nice things like you look beautiful and all of that, but darlin you look miserable."

Bella laughed. "Well, I'm ready to explode, it's freezing, and I can't stop peeing every twenty minutes. I'm ready for the girls to be here, but I know it's not time." She tried to sit up on the couch but was struggling. Jasper moved to her and helped her slide up carefully and repositioned her pillow.

"Carlisle have you on bed rest still?" He asked as he sat down in the armchair across from her.

"Yeah. I'm not supposed to be on my feet until after the girls get here now, which he says could be a few more weeks," she set her book aside after placing her bookmark to keep her page.

Jasper nodded. "Well, Lexi and I are hanging around until after the girls are born and then we're gonna head out to Texas. I still own a ranch out there that Pete and Char live on now. I figured I'd go back for a while. I just wanted to let you know what the plan was. I'm always a phone call away, and I'll be here if ya ever need me."

Bella smiled. "Thank you, Jazz. I'm so happy for you and Lexi. I know things got weird before with us in the past, but I'm glad that you're still here and part of my family."

"Of course, darlin." He stood and leaned over and kissed the top of her head before ruffling her hair like Emmett does. Bella laughed. He left her alone again, grabbing his keys off the hook by the front door and left the house to head to the Grille to help Caroline like he promised.

Bella wasn't alone long because Damon wandered into the parlor holding Renesmee. She was bright eyes and alert, looking around. She could sit up better than Jaison could, and she was actually bigger than her brother by a few pounds. Bella smiled and reached up for Damon to hand her to her.

"Nessie!" Bella's voice sang and gathered her in her arms. Renesmee cooed and blew bubbles for her. "You're so beautiful, yes you are!" Bella used her finger and tapped on her cheek, making Renesmee grin. "Oh! Damon, there's a tooth!"

Damon grinned. "Yep. Jai has one coming in too, but his is on top."

"Is Jai still sleeping?" Bella said and rocked Renesmee a little.

"Oh no, Rose is changing his clothes. He spit up a lot the last feeding. He's not feeling well I don't think. I took his temperature and its low grade. I called Carlisle and he said he's on his way over to take a look at him."

Bella frowned. "I wonder what it could be. He just had his vaccinations last week."

"Carlisle said that it might just be the teething thing, but he's going to check him just in case. Nessie is fine though, no fever or anything. She's just a happy little girl." He said and leaned down and kissed Bella softly and then kissed the top of Renesmee's head.

"Your dad is coming by later after work. Caroline is in full party planning mode. Since Jake has recovered, she's back to her old self. I believe she's dropping off wedding stuff for you to look through as well," he said and lifted Renesmee back into his arms.

"Sounds like Caroline. She's driving me crazy with a date. You know I don't really need a big wedding. I also don't want to look like a whale either," she pouted.

Damon laughed. "Well you look beautiful and you glow so pretty."

"Nice try, Jazz already told me I look miserable."

"Thanks Jasper," he muttered with a smile. "You are beautiful though, and I'll do whatever you want to do. I just know that this is really Caroline's wedding and if we don't go along with what she says, she'll get really scary," he teased.

Bella laughed. "Isn't that the truth," she shook her head.

Carlisle opened the front door and found Damon, Bella and Renesmee in the parlor. "Oh, hello Bella. You're still laying down, so that's good. I'll come back down and check on you after I finish with Jaison." He walked over and smiled at Renesmee. Damon handed her to Carlisle, who gladly took her and walked out of the parlor with her and upstairs to the twin's nursery.

"I love you, I'll go up with doc and see what's going on with Jai," Damon said and leaned over and kissed Bella again before disappearing.

Upstairs, Carlisle had Renesmee on the little changing table, listening to her chest, and taking her temperature. She gripped his finger tightly and Carlisle smiled. "Well, she's perfectly fine. I see she's getting a tooth. That's great progress. She's already half a pound heavier from last week, so she's growing really good." He zipped her footed pajama back up and switched her with Jaison. He went through the same motions.

"Yeah. Low grade. He doesn't seem to be afflicted from it. It's most likely the teething or the vaccinations from last week. I'm going to give him some infant Tylenol. You can give him the Motrin again in six hours. I'd switch them on and off every six hours. If his fever rises, call me immediately. Anything over 101, you should take him in to the hospital," he zipped him up too after giving him a dropper of the medicine.

Rosalie picked him up and put him in his crib, smiling down at him. "I'm going to hate leaving for two weeks." She said and sighed.

Carlisle smiled. "You and Emmett need this time. You are not confined by the sun no longer, so enjoy yourselves Rose." He put a hand on her shoulder, and she smiled at him.

"Thank you," she turned and hugged him before leaving downstairs.

####

[October 31st Halloween night 6pm]

**~Salvatore Boarding House~**

Bella sat in the armchair, her feet propped up on the table and read on her book some more. Everyone was gone in the house, even the twins. Everyone went to the Grille for the Halloween party Caroline put together. She used to enjoy the solitude, but now, it only bored her. She set her book aside and put her feet on the floor. She stood, feeling slightly woozy. She frowned. "I must have stood too quickly," she brushed it off and started for the kitchen to get herself some water. She wobbled a bit and then she got really dizzy. She made it to the foyer by the stairs where she reached out to catch the banister, but she lost her balance and fell on her side. Her vision flickered in and out before darkness overtook her.

Edward walked up to the front door of the boarding house and knocked. He knew that Bella was here alone, and he wanted to stop by and tell her that he was leaving to South America for a while. He knew it was stupid and that she wouldn't care, but he had to do it for himself. It was his own closure. He remembered that she was supposed to be on bedrest, so she probably was laying down. He opened the door and spotted her laying in the floor unconscious at the foot of the stairs.

"Bella!" He rushed inside and knelt by her side. He could hear her heartbeat and it was slow. There was water on the floor around her, and there was blood by her head where she must have hit it while falling. He pulled his phone out and called 911. "Hello, yes. I need to get an ambulance to the Salvatore Boarding house," he spoke quickly, but he was calm. "Pregnant woman, nineteen looks like she fell maybe? She's breathing, but she's got a head wound, and I think her water broke."

The operator dispatched an ambulance and assured Edward that help was on the way. He hung up and then called Damon.

"Edward?" Damon was genuinely confused that Edward would be calling him.

"Damon, Bella is hurt. I've called for an ambulance, but you need to get here right away."

Damon didn't respond, only hung up. He rushed to find Alaric. "Ric. I have to get home. Bella is hurt, call Carlisle and tell him to meet us at the hospital. Can you handle the twins?"

Alaric pulled his phone out. "Yes, I can. Go!" he dialed Carlisle's number and relayed the information.

Damon got to the boarding house right when the ambulance got there. They were loading Bella into the ambulance and closing the door. He stopped the EMS driver. "Is she okay?"

"She's still unconscious, we're going to the hospital in an emergency. Are you the husband?"

"Yes. She's pregnant with twins. Are the babies okay?" Damon was panicking for the first time in his life.

"The babies are okay. Vitals are holding strong, but we're worried about the head wound. Follow us to the hospital," the driver said and hopped in the ambulance.

Damon turned and saw Edward. "What happened?"

"I came by on my way out of town. I knocked and she didn't answer and so I walked in and saw her laying there," Edward pointed to the spot next to the stairs.

"Damn it. I should have stayed home tonight," Damon cursed and got to his car, Edward keeping stride with him. They ducked into the car. It would be faster to go on foot as vampires, but they couldn't just show up at the hospital before the ambulance.

####

**~Mystic Falls Hospital~**

They rushed Bella into the emergency room, Carlisle was already there to great them. He lifted on of her lids and shined a light. "Pupils are reactive," Carlisle said out loud. "Has she woken up yet?"

"No, she hasn't. She's having contractions, and we tested the water, and it is amniotic fluid. She's in active labor," the EMS drive replied. The nurses took over and moved Bella into a private room. Carlisle washed his hands quickly and put on gloves before having the nurse situate Bella so he could check to see how she was doing. She wasn't completely there yet.

Bella started to mumble and wake up. Carlisle stood and came to her side. "Bella? Come on wake up," Carlisle said and took off his gloves and rubbed his hands over her cheeks.

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around. "What? I'm in the hospital?"

"There you are. Bella, you had a fall. Edward found you and called an ambulance." Carlisle explained.

Bella tensed and grit her teeth as a wave of pain shot from her back all through her belly as it tightened. Her hands moved to her belly instinctively and she groaned in pain. When the pain subsided, she was panting. "Carlisle, the girls! They can't come yet!" She was starting to panic.

"Listen Bella. They are coming. You're dilated to a seven and your water has broken. I need to take a look at your head okay. You hit your head when you fell. I need to make sure you don't need stitches. Stay calm," Carlisle said in a soothing voice and looked at her head. He was relieved to see that it was a shallow cut and nothing that would require him to stitch it up. "Do you remember what happened?"

Bella nodded and shifted in the bed uncomfortably. "I was in the parlor. I was thirsty. I got up and was a bit woozy. I figured I stood up too quickly, and then I started into the kitchen. I got a bit dizzy, so I reached out to try and steady myself, but I guess my balance isn't great and I fell on my side. I must have hit my head on the bottom stair, because I passed out."

Carlisle nodded. "Okay. Well, it's not uncommon for pregnant women to experience vertigo. You should have sat back down, but I'm not going to scold you. Nurse Howell, please get Bella set up in a gown, and get the fetal monitors on her." He said and smiled at Bella. "We're having the babies today Bella. I promise you that they'll be in great hands. The NICU team here is amazing remember? I'm going to go get Damon."

"Call mom please and Violet? I want them here." Bella's eyes looked scared. She had taken to calling Liz mom because it made Liz happy, and it had made Bella feel happy too.

"I will. Rest for right now before the next contraction hits you," he said and left her room.

Out in the waiting area, Damon was pacing while Edward sat, watching him. When Damon saw Carlisle, he rushed over to him. "Is she okay? Are the girls okay?"

"She's awake now. She's asking for Liz and Violet to be there. Did you call anyone?" Carlisle asked.

Damon shook his head. "I just rushed straight to Bella. Alaric is at the Grille with everyone. He knows," he said and just then Charlie, Liz, Violet, Ezra and Callum burst into the waiting area.

"Damon! Is she okay?" Charlie rushed over to him, hugging him.

"She's awake," Damon said and looked to Liz and Violet. "She's asking for both of you."

"Me?" Liz said, pointing at herself.

Carlisle smiled. "I'll let you three back there. Charlie if she asks for you I'll come get you," he said and lead Damon, Liz, and Violet back to Bella's room, who was in the middle of a contraction, and she was groaning.

Damon rushed to her side, taking her hand in his. "Hey sweetheart. It's okay," he soothed. When the contraction passed and she released Damon's hand, she looked over to Liz and Violet. "I wanted you both here because well mom, you've done this before and Violet you're about to go through this soon," she said with a laugh.

Liz smiled. It always warmed her heart to hear Bella call her mom. She knew that she would never replace Renee, but Bella always told her that she was closer to being a mom to her in a lot of ways that Renee couldn't be. "Thank you, Bella. It means a lot for you to want me here," she said and came to her side.

"Is dad here?" Bella asked.

"He is, and so are your brothers," Liz said with a smile.

Bella smiled and then looked to Damon. "Damon, if something happens for whatever reason, you make sure that the girls are the priority okay?"

Damon frowned. "Nothing bad is going to happen Bella."

"I know. But just in case. The girls are the priority." Her eyes locked on to his. "I have to tell you…" she looked down at her hands. "I talked to Carlisle about this. I asked about ingesting vampire blood. He said it would be okay this late in the pregnancy. So, I asked Klaus to give me his blood. He gave me three vials, and I've put it in my decaf coffee the past few mornings."

Damon stared at her in shock. He wasn't sure what to say. They had discussed their life together, but he never thought that she would want to be a vampire. They had even talked about having another child maybe one day since they knew that they could.

"Don't be mad, but it's just a failsafe. Of course, I'm sure everything will turn out fine and I'll be okay, but I don't want you to have to choose. I will be okay, but the girls are the priority."

Violet and Liz listened in silence. Klaus hadn't said a word about it to her, but she knew that Bella probably wanted it that way.

"You're going to be okay," Damon said and leaned down and kissed her. She groaned as another contraction rippled through her.

The contractions were coming closer and closer together now. Carlisle checked her again and nodded. "Okay Bella, you're ready, we're going to push on the next contraction okay?"

Bella shook her head. "No no. I can't. I'm not ready," tears filled her eyes. Liz grabbed her hand in hers and looked down at her, brushing her hair out of her face. "Bella, you are ready. The babies are ready. You can do this; I promise you that you can."

Damon had her other hand in his, stroking it. "Liz is right Bella. You're the strongest woman I know. You're going to do great. I love you."

"Okay Bella, go ahead and push." Carlisle said sternly.

Bella screamed as she pushed like instructed. The pain was almost unbearable, and she wished she would have opted for pain medicine. She had been so against it from the start, but she was starting to regret that decision now.

After about ten more pushed Carlisle smiled brightly. "Okay Bella, I see the head. You're doing great, this next one I want you to push as hard as you can okay?"

On the next contraction, Bella did as she was told and then girl twin number one was born. Her lungs filled with air and she screeched loudly. "Baby girl number one is here," Carlisle said, quickly clamping and cutting the cord and wrapped her up and handed her off to the nurse on standby to help finish clearing the lungs and getting her weight checked.

"Bella, I need you to focus, baby girl number two is right behind her. I need you to push for me," Carlisle instructed. Bella was so tired, but she had to do this. She had to make sure both girls made it into this world. She pushed as the contraction tore through her again. Carlisle caught the second little girl and repeated the process. Her cries were ear splitting as she cried louder than her sister.

"Baby girl A, 5 pounds 7 ounces, 18 inches long," Nurse Howell called out. "Baby girl B, 5 pounds, 14 ounces and 18 inches long," the other nurse called out. Both girls were breathing perfect on their own. Carlisle was afraid that they would need a CPAP at the least, but they surprised him and were healthy weights for being 33 weeks, but it appeared that they were really closer to 35 or 36 weeks.

Bella's breathing calmed, but the sweat remained on her face. She was tired, but she wanted to hold he girls, wanted to look at their tiny faces and see how perfect they were.

Carlisle finished up with Bella and stood from his stool and looking at the monitors. All of her vitals were strong, and other than looking extremely tired, Bella looked fine.

"Okay Bella. You can go ahead and hold your babies," Carlisle said and nodded to the nurses. They brought them over and helped position them in her arms. Liz had tears rolling down her cheeks as did Violet. When Bella looked up at Damon, Damon also had tears rimming his eyes as he smiled down at her and his daughters.

"You did it," he leaned in and whispered, kissing her cheek and then looking at the two, now quiet and warm, twin girls.

Bella smiled tiredly as she looked down at the two little girls. "They're perfect," she whispered.

Violet clasped her hands together and put them to her lips. "This is a beautiful sight. Damon lean in closer, I'll take a picture," she said as she reached in her back pocket and snapped a picture. "Bella for someone who just gave birth, you look beautiful," she said and turned the picture to show them.

Bella smiled. "That's a great picture Vi, thank you." She said and looked to Liz. "Thank you for being here mom. "

Liz smiled and leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I'm so happy to be apart of this experience.

Damon grinned. "I'm going to go get your dad and brothers." He said and Bella nodded.

Damon walked out into the waiting area with a big grin on his face. Everyone seemed to migrate from the Grille to the waiting area and people were dressed in all sorts of costumes. "Both girls are perfectly healthy, and Bella did great. Charlie, Ezra, Cal, Caroline, you guys can go on back to meet the new additions." It was family first, and then Bella would make the decision for everyone else to meet them.

Charlie, Ezra, Cal, and Caroline walked back to Bella's room. Stefan smiled and hugged his brother. "I'm so proud of Bella. She did it without pain meds Stefan. Come on, come meet your new nieces," he said, looping his arm across Stefan's shoulder and they walked back to the room.

Charlie was holding one of the girls while Ezra held the other. Everyone was gushing over them.

"What are their names?" Stefan asked as he peered down at the sleeping bundle in Charlie's arms.

Damon smiled at Bella as they looked at each other. "Dad, you're holding Amaya Lilian Salvatore," Bella said, and Stefan looked back at his brother, a stunned expression on his face. "And Ezra, you're holding Aira Faye," Bella concluded.

Charlie grinned down at his granddaughter. "Welcome to the world Amaya, and Aira."


	31. Chapter 31

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you_**.

**_Writer's Notes: Thank you Guest, munzke11, SuperSlyly, and kouga's older woman for your reviews! Drinking Klaus' blood earlier in the morning doesn't work as quickly as it does in the afternoon. Which is why there was more blood at the fall site and not at the hospital, where she didn't require stitches, but should have. I hope that makes sense. I apologize for that confusion. _**********

**_####_**

**~Salvatore Boarding House~**

**[November 19****th****, Jai & Ness~ 5 months old, Amaya & Aira 3 weeks, **_**Violet 22 weeks, baby's growth 28 weeks]**_

"Do they really need a walker?" Damon muttered as he struggled to put together Jaison and Renesmee's new walkers.

"Yes Damon, they need walkers. Jai and Ness are scooting around and are tired of the bouncer. The book says to change it up. They're curious 5-month olds." Bella said as she folded receiving blankets and placed them in a pile. Amaya and Aira were sleeping in their cribs in the neighboring nursery and were the quietest babies compared to Jaison and Renesmee. It had only been 3 weeks but parenting four children under the age of one was definitely a challenge, but they had a lot of help still hanging around. Elena was over at the boarding house with Caroline and Bonnie more since Rosalie and Emmett left for their trip, and Jasper and Lexi left last week.

"Well, maybe Alaric can figure this out," Damon continued to mumble before giving up and standing up, stretching. He smiled over at Bella, who had literally looked like she never had given birth recently. "You're beautiful," he said walking over to her and sliding his hands to her waist.

"Mhm. What do you want?" She teased and turned in his arms and looped her arms around his neck.

Damon kissed her softly. "I can tell you one thing that I want," he said against her lips. She giggled and moved away from him. "Maybe if you get those walkers together, I'll reward you," she said with a wink and he groaned before plopping back down in the floor and stared at the instructions again.

Stefan walked in with his duffle slung over his shoulder. "Hey guys, me and Alice are heading out. We're gonna go backpacking for a week in the Rockies. If you need us, you'll have to call us on the sat phone. I've put the number on the refrigerator." He said and walked over and hugged Bella and kissed the top of her head and then leaned down and patted Damon on the back.

Damon looked up at him and glared. "You get to escape while I'm trying to figure out why we bought two walkers with instructions in German." He complained.

Stefan raised a brow and looked over Damon's shoulder at the instructions. "Ask Callum to help. He speaks German I believe."

"Oh yeah!" Damon beamed, getting to his feet. "That's a great idea. "He ran off to call Callum, leaving his brother standing there shaking his head.

"So how are you feeling?" Stefan asked, setting down his duffle and walking over to the crib where Jaison was sitting up playing with a teething ring. Renesmee was taking a nap. That was one thing those twins were good at. Tag teaming sleep. Stefan reached down and picked up Jaison and bounced him a little, making him giggle.

Bella smiled and sat down in the nursery glider. "Well, I'm tired, but I've healed great. If I could get some more energy I'd be at least back to eighty percent," she said with a light laugh.

"Well you look good. Are you sure you gave birth three weeks ago?" Stefan teased and that made Bella laugh more.

"Thank you, Stefan. Well, you and Alice have fun in the Rockies and of course be careful. Is it just you two going?"

Stefan set Jaison back in his crib and picked his duffle back up. "No, Jazz and Lexi are going to be joining us with Pete and Char. We're renting a cabin and going all the way up. "

Bella nodded. "That sounds like fun. It's cold out, so don't get caught in a blizzard."

Damon returned and stooped and picked the instructions back up and laid them out and took a picture of it and sent it to Callum. "Cal said he's going to translate it and send it back to me." He explained with a grin. He looked at his brother. "Well you guys have fun. Don't forget to be back for Thanksgiving. Caroline is doing a thing."

"Of course, she is," Stefan said and shook his head. "Alright brother, I'll be back in a week." He hugged his brother and hugged Bella again before leaving them to themselves.

Damon smiled and walked over to Bella and pulled her to her feet gently and then pulled her against him. His mouth dipped down and took hers softly at first before taking more. Just then the baby monitor crackled alive with Aira and Amaya's soft cries. Bella smiled against Damon's lips. "The girls are hungry," she said and kissed him lightly before turning and heading next door to the girls' nursery.

####

**~Mikaelson Manor~**

Violet looked at the nursery in its completion. She smiled widely; her hands tucked on her hips. The grey oak round crib sat in the middle of the room and had its own canopy that had sheer light pink curtains that draped around the crib. The crib sheet was pink with little white hearts all over it, and the bumper was a silk white with pink hearts all over it. The grey oak dresser was already full of cutesy pink frilly clothes for Hope, and the closet held even more little frilly dresses, thanks to Rebecca. The walls were painted a soft pink nearly white, and Klaus had the floors redone in a bright white-washed hardwood floor. A soft grey shag rug was in the center under the crib, and all in all, it looked like a little princess' room.

"Everything is very…pink." Kol said from the doorway. Violet turned and grinned at Kol.

"Well, she's going to be the princess," she commented and then Kol walked over to stand next to her.

"She's going to be incredibly spoiled, seeing how Jai and Ness are already spoiled and Aira and Amaya are on their way to being spoiled too," he said and held up a little bag, that was purple. "Klaus sent this. He's still in New Orleans."

Violet frowned. "He's been there for nearly a month now. When is he supposed to be back?" She took the bag from Kol.

Kol sighed. "Well, the witch problem is bigger than he anticipated, and the hybrids are giving him problems. Tyler and Hayley had something to do with it a while back before everyone was all buddy, buddy. Hybrids keep dropping off, and well, Klaus isn't taking it well."

Just then the door slammed in the front of the house downstairs. There was some crashing. Kol frowned. "Well, I take that back. Klaus is back," he said and turned and blipped out of sight. Violet moved quickly downstairs to Klaus' office and saw him covered in blood and Elijah trying to calm him down.

Kol and Finn were standing back, clearly not wanting to be in the line of fire, but Elijah wasn't afraid of his brother and was too close to Klaus for Kol's liking.

"If you would just calm down, we can figure this out," Elijah tried and reasoned.

"Figure it out? They killed Marcell in the quarter, and you want me to calm down and figure it out?" Klaus roared at his brother.

Elijah didn't flinch as Klaus stood face to face with him, his chest heaving and his eyes flashing yellow. "Yes brother. I'm saying to calm down. You just slaughtered half of your hybrids and half of the witch coven. You're in a rage and it's not-"

"They. Killed. Marcell." Klaus bit the words out through grit teeth.

Violet entered the office now, her hand pressed to her aching back and the other on the front of her belly. "Klaus, are you okay?" She heard most of what he had said, but he was still covered in blood and it worried her.

Klaus stopped and looked at his clothes, noting all of the blood and then he looked back at Violet. His eyes flickered back to his stormy blue color and his face softened. "Oh, my love, I'm sorry. Did I scare you?"

Violet raised a brow. "Klaus, nothing really scares me, and your angry outburst doesn't scare me. I'm _worried _about you. You're covered in blood and it's dripping on the Persian rug."

Elijah's mouth twitched in an almost smile, but Kol couldn't stop himself from laughing. "You're throwing a tantrum, storming around all crazed and angry, and she's only concerned about you and the Persian rug," Kol couldn't stop laughing.

"That's not it Kol. I'm worried he was hurt, but I see that is a silly thought or worry because clearly Klaus can't get hurt, but…" she trailed off when Klaus walked to her.

"I'm fine. I'm not hurt. I apologize for my outburst," he said softly. "I'll go shower and change," he said and kissed her temple before leaving the office and heading upstairs to their room to shower.

"You know that you and Bella are the only two that can calm him down like that right?" Elijah said, relaxing now that Klaus was upstairs with running water.

Violet smiled and rubbed her belly when Hope started kicking hard. She winced a little when Hope struck upwards into her ribs.

Elijah tensed. "Are you okay?" He had moved to her side without really noticing it. Kol and Finn both made moves to be closer.

She waved a hand. "Yeah I'm fine. Hope is just…. a little strong." She said with a laugh and rubbed her ribs.

"Have you been having any issues?" Elijah asked, reaching a hand out to feel the front of her belly, and felt Hope kick at his hand.

Violet smiled. "Well, other than the usual stuff, no. No issues. Carlisle was here yesterday, and it looks like she's growing about six weeks ahead of her gestation, so really she's like a 28-week-old."

Elijah nodded and moved his hand away. "Well, I know that being here alone has probably been tough. Did the contractors come and redo the floor in the nursery?"

"Oh yeah. They finished up a few days ago. I've got the nursery finished. Caroline was over yesterday and moved the furniture around for me and Bonnie helped me sort some of the clothes into the drawers. I finished it up just before you guys got home. Has Rebecca returned?" Violet said, noticing that Rebecca wasn't there.

"She's over at the wolf den," Kol commented. That's what they called the house that the Quileute boys decided to go in and buy together. They were getting tired of imposing on Bella and Damon and wanted to have their own home. So, with Klaus and Damon's help they set them up in a house closer to the outskirts of town, in the woods, with a house the could all crash at.

Violet nodded and a few moments later, Klaus returned to them, all cleaned up now. "So, what happened?" she asked as Klaus' hands went to her belly to feel Hope move around for him.

Klaus closed his eyes, keeping his anger in check. "The witch coven and some of my hybrids tried to start a coup d'état so to speak. They killed Marcell in the quarter, thinking that it would…I'm not sure what they were thinking because I killed them."

Violet nodded and reached a hand up to his face and gently caressed his cheek. Tears were in her eyes. "I'm so sorry Klaus. I know Marcell was like your son," her voice wavered a bit. She had liked Marcell a lot when she visited with Klaus to New Orleans.

Klaus put a hand over hers and with the other, swiped the tears away from her face. "It's okay. I have you, my family and Hope. I loved Marcell…this is true, but…. I handled it, and the only thing I need to figure out now is who is going to replace Marcell in New Orleans. Hayley's brother Casey has stepped up in all the calamity and Tyler and Leah are in New Orleans right now trying to reign in the rest of the hybrids."

"Can Tyler run things in New Orleans?" Violet asked, sniffing.

Klaus thought about this. "It's not a bad idea. Freya is there taking care of the rest of the coven that lead the attack on the quarter. Marcell wasn't the only one killed. There were some other vampires that didn't make it, but the coven is smaller now, and after killing most of them, I believe that the coven won't attack again like that. In all honesty, Marcell did bring a lot on himself with the coup because he was banning magic, and witches don't particularly care for being restricted when it comes to magic. The last time I was there, I advised against it, but Marcell was…."

"Strong willed," Violet said with a smile. "Well, Freya, Tyler, Leah, and Casey can handle things for right now. I'm sure everything will simmer down. For right now, why don't we not think about New Orleans and I show you Hope's nursery. It's done," she said, grabbing his hand in hers.

Klaus smiled. "I like that idea." He turned and looked at Elijah first. "I'm sorry brother," he said and Kol and Finn looked on at him, shocked that those words had come out of Klaus' mouth. Elijah smiled and nodded, acknowledging the apology.

Violet smiled too and pulled Klaus away to show him the nursery that she was in love with.

Elijah shook his head. "She has changed him a lot." He said to his other brothers.

"That she has brother. Having a child is changing him too. He's softer now," Kol agreed.

#####

**[November 26****th****\- Jai & Ness 5 months, Aira & Amaya 4 weeks, **_**Violet 23 weeks, Hope's growth 29 weeks~]**_

**~Salvatore Boarding House~**

Caroline had papers laying all around the dinning table and bridal magazines strewn about. She was planning the wedding for Bella and Damon, but she was also planning a Thanksgiving party.

"So, the wedding is going to take place on December 25th, about 4pm," Caroline started as she was looking through different swatch colors for the color theme for the wedding.

Liz sat at the table drinking some hot tea as she watched her daughter flip through the swatches. Elena and Bonnie sat at the table watching their friend in her craziness doing her usual Caroline thing in silence, but big smiles on their faces. Just then Bella walked in holding Renesmee on her hip. She raised a brow as she watched Caroline talk to herself aloud about the wedding plans and the Thanksgiving dinner party.

"Hey Care, slow down," Bella called out and Caroline looked up at Bella and Renesmee and smiled. "Oh, was I doing the crazy talking out loud thing again, but it doesn't make any sense to everyone listening?"

Bella laughed. "Yeah. Just focus on one thing at a time. The Thanksgiving party is in two days, so just do the finishing touches on that."

Caroline let out a big sigh. "I've got most of it done. I'm waiting on Damon to get back with the turkey and ham."

"Breathe Caroline," Elena finally said with a laugh. "It's going to be okay."

Liz smiled at her daughter. "Your friends are right. You just need to slow down and stop stressing out. Thanksgiving will be great, and the wedding will be beautiful. You take a lot on yourself, if you don't slow down, then you'll wear yourself down."

"Listen to mom," Bella said with a smile. Caroline smiled. "Alright. I'm going to try. Thank you, guys," she said and then she walked over to her mom and hugged her. "But for real, Bella I think Sapphire blue and like a soft grey or silver for the wedding colors would be beautiful. Especially for a Christmas wedding."

Bella smiled. "I agree." She said and then Damon and Jake were walking in with bags.

"Barbie, I got the turkey and ham, and a bunch of other things that weren't on your list, but Jake was hungry, so." Damon said and set the bags down in the kitchen.

"Don't blame everything on me. You went crazy on baby food." Jake bickered back at Damon.

Caroline rushed to look at the ham and turkey and smiled. "This is great. Thank you," she said and kissed Jake on the mouth hard.

"Hey, I'm the one who went and got all the stuff," Damon pointed out and Caroline laughed and then kissed Damon's cheek.

"Thank you, Damon," Caroline said and started putting everything up that the boys brought back from the grocery store.

"That's more like it," Damon grinned and then turned to Bella and Renesmee. He smiled and leaned in and kissed Bella, which made Renesmee laugh out loud. He then kissed Renesmee on the forehead.

"Dadadadda!" Renesmee squealed.

Jake and Caroline looked at Renesmee shocked. "She talks!" They both said in unison.

Bella nodded. "She's been saying Dada for a few weeks now. She coos most of the time, but whenever she sees Damon she always squeals and says dada. Jai will coo a lot too, but he hasn't really said dada at all."

"How are Aira and Amaya?" Jake asked, moving to take Renesmee from Bella when she reached out towards him. Renesmee liked to play with Jake's hair, which had grown out. He tried to tie it out of his face, but sometimes he let it hang to his shoulders, like now.

Bella handed over Renesmee. "Well, Carlisle said that they are growing at an accelerated rate. He says that since they're hybrids, it was expected. Cal read some more on the history with Jane's help, and it says that by six months, they'll appear to be two years old. Right now, they look to be 3 months old. They are growing fast. We're bottle feeding them now because they are starting to get teeth."

It wouldn't be long before Aira and Amaya surpassed Jai and Ness, Damon thought to himself. The baby monitor that Bella had it her back pocket crackled to life with cries from Aira and Amaya.

"Right on time," Bella said with a smile, and left the kitchen area and went back upstairs.

"Has it been hard with four babies?" Caroline asked, leaning against the bar counter. She had finished putting up all the groceries.

Damon shook his head. "Not really. Bella actually is doing really good with it. At night, I make sure she stays in bed and I handle them when they're hungry. Nessie and Jai have started holding on to their own bottles. I just have to set them up at an angle in their little bouncys and they eat while I feed Aira mostly. Amaya likes to sleep longer. Usually right after Aira finishes her bottle is when Amaya will wake up. So, we're on a good routine."

Caroline shook her head, amazed. "Damon, you've really become…a dad."

"Well, I am a dad," he said with a laugh. "But I know what you really mean. I'm different. I'm not blind, I know that I wasn't the… best person to be around. I've done a lot of terrible things in my past, and I can't change those things, but I want my children to see the good me. I've always wanted to have children. When I became a vampire, that was robbed from me. But with Bella, I was able to find that path again, but even if we didn't have kids, Bella became my light, and I'm really happy now."

Liz rose from the table, carrying her cup over to the kitchen sink. "Damon, you deserve happiness." She said and then looked at her watch. "I've got to get going. I've got to be into office early in the morning. Love you guys," she said and hugged Damon and then hugged Caroline and Jake. She kissed Renesmee's cheek, who was really her granddaughter now if you thought about it.

"When is Alice and Stefan getting back?" Bonnie said, joining them in the kitchen with Elena.

"Oh, they should be getting back tomorrow. Jasper and Lexi are dropping in for Thanksgiving with Pete and Char before heading back out to Texas. They have some stuff for the kids too, so it's really perfect timing," Damon said.

Elena smiled. "I miss Lexi. Her and Jasper are doing good then?"

"As far as I can tell. They fit each other pretty good. Jasper isn't as high strung anymore," Damon said and then Renesmee reached a tiny hand out for Damon and Jake transferred her into Damon's arms.

Elena watched Damon bounce with her in his arms. She was so surprised with how well he took to being a parent. He always lit up whenever Bella entered the room, and equally as so whenever the twins or Aira and Amaya were there. It made her happy that he was able to finally be happy. Now, she was with Elijah, and Stefan was with Alice, and their lives were becoming something that she never would have imagined before now. She wasn't bitter about Stefan anymore, and now they were all about to have a giant Thanksgiving together. Even Klaus had grown on her.


	32. Chapter 32

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you Moggy-chan, andrewpine, and Annie48 for your wonderful reviews! I want to apologize for not updating sooner. I've been terribly sick for the past week, and I'm just now trying to get myself out of bed to write, even though I'm still sick. (Just a cold/flu), but I'm trying. Keep letting me know what you think! The story is wrapping up soon with about 3 more chapters left!**_

_**####**_

**[November 28****th****, Thanksgiving Day]**

**~Salvatore Boarding House~**

Caroline and Alice moved around the kitchen in unison prepping the dinner. It was nearly done. Stefan and Alice rolled in earlier the day before and she had been helping Caroline ever since her arrival. Even Elena was pitching in in the kitchen despite her lack of cooking skills.

Damon and Charlie set the massive table in the bigger dinning hall, so to speak. They had kept it closed for the most part, but with a gathering this big, they needed all the space. "It looks great," Bella said, as she entered the room holding Jaison on her hip.

"Thanks, Caroline gave us strict instructions, so we're trying to follow them exactly," Damon said with a raise of both of his brows. "I'm sure something will be off though."

Charlie laughed. "Well, we're hoping that Alice and Elena keep her occupied all the way up until the dinner, so we don't have to redo anything."

"I'm not that bad," Caroline said as she came into the room carrying some of the food. "Damon, can you help Jake carry in some of the food. Dad, can you swap the forks. One is a salad fork and the other for the entrée."

Charlie raised a brow and Caroline sighed. "Okay, you're right. I am _that _bad. But seriously, please swap the forks?" He smiled and started swapping the forks around for her.

Damon snickered and left the room before Caroline could smack at him. Bella smiled. "Well, you do it to yourself Care. You let the guys set the table. That was a disaster waiting to happen."

"You're right. Next time I'll just have to do it myself, or Alice." Caroline said and smirked, turning on her heel and walking back out to help bring more food out to the table.

Charlie laughed. "Liz says she's always like this, but I think it's refreshing. She cares about the smaller things in life."

Klaus was there now, Violet by his side, and the rest of the Mikaelson's shortly behind them. Violet went over to Charlie and kissed his cheek before realizing what he was doing and started automatically helping.

"Oh Violet, you sit down. Your old man can handle this," Charlie insisted.

"It's okay dad, I can help. I'm not about to go into labor or anything. It's good to be on my feet from time to time," Violet said, but Klaus was already going around the table with Elijah's help, fixing the forks so Violet and Charlie didn't have to do so much work.

It wasn't long before the dining hall was filled with family and friends. The only one missing was Tyler, Leah, and Freya because they were still in New Orleans, but the rest was there, even Matt.

The wolves ate most of the food considering a good majority were vampires, and they really didn't _need _to eat, but they made their best effort. Edward and Emmett had the hardest time trying to eat, but they managed it somehow. Jaison and Renesmee were loving the sweet potato casserole that Liz had put together, and they were messy from head to toe. Aira and Amaya were sleeping peacefully in their playpens, while everyone carried on with the light banter and jokes.

After dinner, Caroline insisted everyone stay seated for the big group photo. She set up the tripod and angled the camera, checked it a few times and then set the timer before taking her seat next to Jake. It was picture perfect and they truly were a great big family.

"I'm going to have it made into a canvas," Klaus said when he looked at the picture. "Everyone will get a copy," he insisted and that made Violet and Bella smile.

Bella stood now and looked around the table. "I can honestly say that I have the best family. I'm going to marry the love of my life next month, and I have four beautiful children that will one day call me mommy. I have my dad by my side and a stepmom, who is like my real mom. An uncle who is like a second father, a twin sister that knows me better than me, two older brothers that take care of me and a new sister, that I can turn to for anything. Not only are they my family, but each and every one of you are my family. You've fought for me, with me, and have dedicated yourselves to my safety, and my family's safety. I could never ask for anything else of you guys. You guys have made my life perfect. I am so thankful for every one of you all. Thank you for being a part of my family."

She sat down and Damon leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Beautiful. I love you." She smiled at him and nodded. "I love you too."

**[December 17****th****\- Jai & Ness 6 months old, Aira & Amaya 7 weeks, growth 6 months, Violet 26 weeks, Hope's growth- 32 weeks]**

**~Salvatore Boarding House~**

"I can't believe you get married in a week!" Elena said, watching Caroline and Alice fit Bella into her wedding dress. It fit tight to her form, a shimmering white that twinkled as she moved. The sleeves were a simple lace that reached down to her wrists and left her back bare. The bodice was sweetheart, and was simple, yet elegant. It hugged at her hips and then flowed to her feet, sweeping out in a mermaid style, shimmering in a light ombre with a silver blue, like the bottom was dipped lightly into the moonlight itself. Her veil was simple, that hugged her bun and the shoes that Caroline were forcing her to wear were silver and plated in white rhinestones with at least a three-inch heel.

"Oh Bella…" Violet said as Bella twisted to face Elena and the dress glimmered. "you're beautiful," she finished.

Bella smiled. "Really? The dress isn't too much?"

"The dress is perfect," Alice and Caroline both said at the same time.

Elena nodded. "This dress looks absolutely amazing on you Bella. Damon is really not going to know what hit him. There was a slight knock at the door.

"Girls, it's just me," Liz called. Caroline moved to the door and snuck her mom in, quickly closing and locking the door behind her.

Liz gasped. "Bella, you're gorgeous."

"Thanks mom," Bella said with a bright smile. "I actually do feel…perfect. Like a princess."

Caroline smiled at Alice. "I told you this is the dress I saw you in my vision," Alice said matter of fact.

"Thank you, Alice," Bella said and then turned and looked over at Violet. "Okay, you girls try on your dresses. I want to see you in them." Bella said, stepping down off the little pedestal to take a seat.

"Bonnie and Rose should be here soon to try their dresses on. Angela won't be here until tomorrow, and Rebecca is downstairs right now. Oh, Lexi and Jazz are going to be here tomorrow too, so Lexi can try her dress on when Angela gets here," Alice said and flitted to the bathroom with Elena, Violet, and Caroline.

The girls emerged a while later wearing their maid dresses. Their dresses were silver on top with rhinestones covering the whole bodice, and the high-waisted skirts fell to the floor in a sapphire silk. The bodice was sweet-heart cut, dipping low in the front with a sheer peek-a-poo mesh and the straps were haltered at the neck, leaving the back exposed. Violet's dress was lower in the back than the front because of her bump, which is why the girls picked high-waisted gowns to match Violet.

"Oh, you girls look beautiful!" Liz said and Bella nodded, grinning wide.

"You all look like fairy princesses!" Bella said and clasped her hands together.

Rebecca, Bonnie and Rosalie knocked at the door and Caroline moved to the door to let them in. They were toting Aira, Amaya, and Renesmee with them.

"Oh, I have the girls' dresses prepared for the flower girls, and then Jai is going to wear a cute little tux and Seth is going to cart them all in a small carriage, strapped to him in his wolf form," Caroline said and then she was helping her mom and Alice fit the girls into their cute little dresses.

Their dresses were sapphire as well, but it was all floof as Caroline called it, with dabs of rhinestones in all the tulle. Their headbands had bright sapphire flowers, accented with silver flowers and rhinestones as well. Nessie's hair was a red-brown in color and was starting to curl at the bottoms, and the girls both had really thick, dark brown/black hair that was curling at the bottoms, but their hair brushed at their shoulders in the back, and they had a lot of it. Their eyes were a piercing blue like Damon's, but they showed bright tones of silver and grey. Nessie's eyes were a brilliant blue green, like the color of a lake with bronze specks glittered around the pupil. Jai's eyes had turned a lighter shade of blue, nearly grey/green in some lights. His hair was red brown like his twin sister, but his hair was not curling up like hers had.

"They look so adorable," Bella cooed over them, then she turned to look at Liz. "Are you going to try on your dress?"

"Oh, right!" She said and got up and disappeared in the bathroom. She came out wearing a beautiful sapphire, and silver dress that had a penciled skirt and cute matching jacket. The top of her dress shimmered with the silver, and her shoes were sapphire flats to match. Liz didn't dress up often, but Caroline insisted that she match the bridesmaids with her "mother of the bride" dress.

"Aw, mom you look really beautiful," Bella said and hugged her. "Everything is so perfect. I can't believe I'm getting married next week!"

Rebecca, Rose, and Bonnie appeared in their matching dresses and Liza got the girls altogether with Bella and took a picture for keepsake. "You can't let Damon see that picture until after the wedding," Caroline pointed out and Liz rolled her eyes. "I know. I'm not going to show him," Liz said and then hugged her daughters close together, Violet having to lean away some because of her growing belly. "I love you girls. You're all so beautiful, and Bella, your wedding is going to be absolutely perfect."

Downstairs, Damon, Enzo, and Alaric were sitting in the parlor drinking, like usual. Bonnie spelled the room upstairs so they couldn't hear what was going on upstairs. Damon was sure that Bella would look beautiful in anything, but Caroline and Alice were the ones that were running the entire show, which he gladly let them plan, and Bella just liked to watch her friends do their own thing. Caroline had taken his credit card the week before to get stuff for the wedding. She told him it was going to cost a lot, but he honestly didn't care, but he did know that Bella's dress did cost close to three grand by itself so far.

"You know, you're getting married next week, are we not going to do a bachelor party or something?" Alaric brought up.

Damon shrugged. "No. I'm beyond my partying days Ric, I am a father now," he said, raising his bourbon to his lips with a smile.

"Right, so you're going to skip the strippers and clubs and just chill at home the night before your wedding?" Enzo pointed out.

"Well, I'm going to try," Damon said, moving to throw another log onto the fire in the fireplace.

Alaric shook his head. "We could just go play pool at the Grille and drink a lot like usual."

"Ah, that sounds like a plan. Let's do that," Damon said, agreeing.

Enzo rolled his eyes. "My god mate, you've gotten all soft hearted on us."

"Father of four remember. I'm not going to go out and party hard with the kids at home. I have no desire to party really."

A little while later the girls came downstairs, Bella beaming brightly. Damon smiled and walked over and kissed her softly. "Love your dress?" 

"Damon, you can't ask questions like that!" Caroline said before Bella could say anything. Bella only rolled her eyes and nodded. "I love it. Thank you," She said and kissed him again. "One more week and then I'm Mrs. Damon Salvatore," she said, and he kissed her forehead.

"One more week," he said and that was that.


	33. Chapter 33

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you_**.

**_Writer's Notes: Thank you everyone for such amazing reviews! I know that it's been a month since I posted a chapter. I want everyone to know that I'm sorry for leaving you hanging like so, but it's been a really rough month with getting the farm up and running and work has not been favorable. Pair that with the new homeschooling for the kiddos because of the COVID-19, I've had little time to write. It's Easter Sunday, and I hope everyone has had a great day, and I sincerely hope everyone is safe and healthy. We have 2 more chapters to wrap this story up. I have a couple other fanfictions in my brain that I want to get out there, so I'm hoping that I can get them out there for you guys. I'm trying my best to keep updated, and will continue to write as fast as I can, and get updates out there quickly. Again thanks to all the support and reviews throughout the duration of this fanfiction. Please continue to drop me messages and reviews! _**********

**_##### _**

**[December 24****th****, Christmas Eve- Jai & Ness 6 months old, Aira & Amaya 8 weeks, growth 6 months, Violet 27 weeks, Hope's growth- 33 weeks]**

**~Salvatore Boarding House~**

The ballroom sparkled and twinkled with silver and sapphire. In parlor, the massive twelve-foot tree twinkled, and presents were abundant around it, mostly for the children. Caroline flitted around with Alice, making sure the finishing touches were done before the ceremony began. They were dolled up in their maid dresses, while Liz and Bella stayed upstairs with Ness, Aira, and Amaya.

Violet watched her sister get dressed in her beautiful wedding dress and smiled. "You make a beautiful bride Bells."

Bella looked over at her sister and smiled back at her. "I can't believe it's finally happening." She let a breath out.

Liz finished with adding the veil on her head and took a step back. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh Bella, you are beautiful," she said and clasped her hands together in front of her. Rebecca came from the bathroom, all ready in her maid dress, with Angela and Lexi following. They all gasped at Bella and smiled brightly at her as she did a little twirl.

"Thank you everyone for being apart of my special day," Bella said and then she was in the middle of a group hug. The only ones missing was Bonnie, Elena, Caroline, and Alice, who were all downstairs finishing up things before the wedding actually began.

Downstairs, Alaric was helping Damon with his tie. "I'm proud of you," he said and Damon smiled.

"For what?"

"For settling down, and being who you really are. You're finally happy, and you haven't messed it up," Alaric said and Damon snorted.

"He's right," Stefan called when he moved into the room. "You are notorious for messing things up."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Well, I finally found the woman that I want to be with for eternity, and she wants me back. Didn't have to fight too hard."

"Mm-hm you only have to fight a war to protect her, and then there was the sparkly fairy Edward, whom you have somehow developed some sort of weird bond with," Stefan pointed out.

"It's not weird," Edward said, coming into the room. "I'm just…I'm not sure what this is, but I'm happy for Damon and Bella. It took me a while to realize that, but I can see that Bella is happy, and that means that I am happy."

"Well put Eddie boy," Damon said and winked. "You have the rings?" Damon asked Alaric.

Alaric feigned surprise and Damon slapped his arm with a grin. "Everything is going to be perfect." He reassured his best friend.

Alice flitted into the room. "Okay guys. It is show time. Get into places!" She sang and the boys followed.

Close friends and family were seated in the seating that Caroline had set up. The Mikaelsons were there, Klaus was in the wedding, so he wasn't seated. Pete and Char were there sitting next to some of the wolf boys. Some of the people from the reservation were there, including Sam and Emily. Callum and Ezra were seated in the front with Jane and Alec, since they were technically family.

The music began and first Elijah walked down the aisle. He was going to officiate the wedding since he was the only one ordained to do so, and then Damon followed. Then Charlie walked down with Liz and seated her and returned to walk Bella down when the time came. Damon didn't have any living parents, so the music changed.

Violet and Alaric appeared, their arms linked and walked down the aisle to the airy music. Followed was Caroline and Jake, Alice and Stefan, Elena and Jeremy, Angela and Matt, Rebecca and Jared, Lexi and Jasper, Bonnie and Enzo, and then Rosalie and Klaus. When the music changed again, Seth appeared in his wolf form, a small carriage strapped to him pulling Jai, Ness, Aira and Amaya. They were all bubbly and smiley as Seth pulled them down the aisle. As the carriage moved, it left a trail of sparkling sapphire petals.

The music stopped and then the wedding march began, and everyone stood. Bella and Charlie appeared in the entrance. Damon's breath caught in his throat as his eyes lay on Bella as she walked down the aisle to him. She was glowing beautifully in her dress, and tears actually stung at his eyes as he took in the beauty of her. It was like it was only the two of them in the room as she moved towards him. He didn't hear the music; he only saw her. Charlie placed her hand into Damon's and gave Bella a little kiss on her cheek after he flipped her veil up.

Elijah started speaking now, but Damon could only stare at Bella. Bella smiled at him, her eyes twinkling with happiness as she stared back at him.

"Damon, you've prepared some vows?"

Damon snapped out of his trance and smiled. "I did. Bella. I've been alive for a while now, and I've never met someone like you. You're special in many ways, but in one way, you've captured my heart. You let me love you and that's a privilege I will never take for granted. I am deeply honored that you've chosen me, and you've accepted me for the person I am. You are an amazing mother. We have four children and I honestly can say that I sometimes can't keep up with you. I've looked forward to this day, and it's here. So, I want to tell you thank you, for becoming my wife, and making me the happiest man in this universe."

Tears slipped down Bella's face as she grinned brightly at Damon. Liz was crying, Caroline was crying, even Rosalie of all people were crying.

Elijah smiled and looked to Bella. "Bella?"

Bella nodded and gripped Damon's hands in hers and stared into his icy blue eyes. "Damon. I'm not very good with words, like you, but I know how strong my love is for you. You fixed me. I was broken, barely alive and falling apart. You put me together again and made me whole. You forever have my heart. I could never love any man more than you, and you make the best father. Our five, uh four children have been given the world, and you always put them first no matter what. I'm proud of you, for the man you are, and I will say thank you for being my husband."

Damon was staring at her now, stunned into silence as everyone was looking nearly as shocked at Bella's mix up with how many children they have.

"Bella," Damon said lowly, his eyes glancing down to her belly. He was confused and shocked. He knew that they could have more children because of her witch bloodline, but it was soon. The girls were two months old even though they looked like six-month olds.

Bella nodded and smiled; her eyes glistened.

"You're sure?"

"Yes. Carlisle confirmed yesterday with blood tests. It's too soon for an ultrasound."

Elijah cleared his throat when people murmured. "Is it okay for me to let them know what is happening?" Bella nodded and Elijah smiled. "It appears that they will be welcoming another bouncing baby to their brood. Bella accidentally let it slip during her vows. All is okay, we'll carry on the ceremony."

There was some clapping and Damon pulled Bella into his arms, holding her and smiling. Alaric patted Damon on the back, grinning widely.

"Okay okay, Damon do you take Bella to be your wife?" Elijah said, closing his book.

"I do."

"Bella, do you take Damon to be your husband?"

"I do."

"Exchange your rings and kiss the bride," Elijah said, and Alaric handed Damon the rings. They slipped their rings on their fingers and Damon leaned in and kissed Bella deep and everyone erupted in cheer and applause.

"Everyone, I present to you, the new Mr. and Mrs. Damon Salvatore!"

Everyone continued to clap and cheer as Damon, and Bella walked back down the aisle. The wedding party followed after.

Once in the reception hall, Bella and Damon sat down before everyone joined them. They had just a few minutes of silence before the party would start.

"I had no idea you were pregnant," Damon said softly.

"Well, I had a suspicion that I was when I started throwing up without a reason. Carlisle says I'm probably 5 weeks pregnant."

"How? I mean, you just had Amaya and Aira. Could your body bounce back so quickly?"

Bella shrugged. "Carlisle explained that it does happen. It's not rare at all. He's also thinking because of us both being supernatural, it could have something to do with it. He did the bloodwork, and he wants to do an ultrasound. He said it could be too early, but I wanted to wait until after everyone leaves tonight to do one. Carlisle agreed to stay later."

Damon smiled. "I love you so much." He said and kissed her softly.

"You're okay? Number 5 will be here faster than we planned. I honestly didn't think anything about it because I didn't think I could get pregnant so fast. That's why I didn't really care about how much sex we've been having."

Damon laughed. "Of course, I'm okay. I love you. If you're okay with having a baby so soon after the twins, then I'm fine. It's you I worry about. I will have as many children as you want Bella because I love you. If you want twenty kids, we'll have twenty kids."

Bella laughed now. "Nooo. Twenty is way too many. I'm thinking maybe five or six is plenty. That's the thing. What if this one is twins?"

"Well, if it's twins, it's twins."

"I love you," she murmured and kissed him softly.

The night dwindled down, and people started leaving, congratulating Damon and Bella as they left. Caroline and Alice were busy cleaning with Liz's help. Edward approached Bella and Damon before heading out.

"Congrats you two. On the wedding and the new addition," he said with a smile.

Bella nodded and smiled. "Thank you for coming and celebrating with us." She said and then leaned in and hugged Edward. Edward awkwardly hugged her back and then reached a hand out to shake Damon's hand, but Damon hugged him too.

"Thank you," Damon said and patted Edward on the back.

Edward nodded and then left; Rosalie close behind him.

After the rest of the guests had left, Charlie and Liz sat around in the kitchen with Caroline, Violet, Callum, and Ezra. Damon walked into the kitchen with Bella behind him. They had changed already and had just put the twins down along with Aira and Amaya.

"Well, how does it feel being married?" Charlie asked, smiling.

"Honestly, no different. We've been living together already, and this was just an extra step." Bella said, sitting down. Carlisle moved into the kitchen right then and Bella groaned. "Of course, I just sat down."

Damon chuckled. "Well, we don't want to keep the doctor waiting."

Carlisle smiled. "Well, it won't take long. I've set up in the parlor Bella."

Bella got back to her feet, and her fingers laced with Damon's and followed Carlisle to the parlor. She lay down and got comfortable. Carlisle draped a sheet over her, and she lifted her shirt up. He warmed the jelly and rolled the wand around her abdomen. "You know if I can't see any this way, I'll have to try the other way."

Bella nodded, understanding. Damon sat next to her, her hand in his as they looked at the little monitor. Carlisle changed positions of the wand and then the blips appeared on the screen.

"Yeah, I thought the HCG was a little high. I suspected multiples," Carlisle said, and Damon studied the monitor.

Bella was squinting. "Why are there 3 blips?"

"Well, Bella, that means 3 babies," Carlisle said, moving from different angles.

Bella couldn't speak at first. "Everything is okay right?"

Carlisle nodded. "Yes. Everything looks fine. I said you're probably around 5 weeks, but the babies are measuring about 9 weeks. They seem to be growing at a faster rate, maybe. I'll be doing weekly ultrasounds like with the girls. I'm going to draw some more blood and send it off. I'll probably be able to tell the genders through the blood test, or at least if there is any male DNA present. That will let you know if you're carrying any boys. If there is no male DNA then it's likely they're all girls."

Bella looked at Damon. "Damon. 3. There are 3. This doesn't make sense."

Damon laughed and brushed Bella's hair back from her face. "Well, it sort of makes sense. You're a twin, multiples run in your family. Jane spoke about a triplet being born before and quads, so it's not unheard-of Bella."

Carlisle nodded, and printed the ultrasound picture, each blip labeled baby a, b and c. "He's right. I remember right before Jane and Alec's time, their coven had triplet witches in it. They were sisters, and they were actually pretty strong from what I recall. Jane would know more about it or the grimoire Cal and Ezra have now would probably have some of this information in it as well."

Bella nodded. "Well. I'm just worried about the babies. I do think I will be done after this," she said with a laugh.

Damon smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I want you to turn me after the triplets are born," she said to Damon and he frowned.

"Are you sure? We haven't talked much about it, but it can't be undone Bella. If you want more-"

She cute him off. "I'm sure that 7 kids are going to be plenty for us to handle. I don't want to put my body through more, and each pregnancy will worry me because of the nature of it. I think that turning me after the triplets are born will be a perfect time."

Damon nodded. "Okay. I'll do it after the triplets are born."

Carlisle smiled. "Well, I'll see you next week." He said as he finished taking her blood. "I'll call you with the results of the blood test." He said and then leaned down and kissed the top of Bella's head. "Get some rest and congrats." He left Bella and Damon alone for now.

"Wow…" Bella said as she stared down at the ultrasound picture.

"This is going to be a big game changer. A lot of renovations are going to have to happen to this boarding house."

Charlie and Violet walked in, Liz, Cal, and Ezra not far behind. "So? Everything good with the baby?" Charlie asked.

Damon smiled at Bella and then took the ultrasound picture and handed it to Charlie. "Take a look grandpa."

Charlie took the picture in his hands as the other crowded over his shoulder to look at it. "What am I looking at? Bab a, b and c?"

Violet gasped and then rushed to Bella and leaned in and hugged her tight. "Oh this is definitely surprising." Charlie was still looking at the picture confused.

"Honey, it means that Bella is having triplets," Liz finally said and then Charlie looked over at Damon and Bella in shock.

"Dad, it's okay. Carlisle said they're fine, and he took some blood to test. They're measuring about 9 weeks. They're growing faster than the girls, but he's going to be doing weekly ultrasounds like he did with the girls. I'm okay though, Damon is okay. We're happy," Bella explained when Charlie looked worried.

Liz rubbed a hand down Charlie's arm. "See, Bella is okay."

Cal and Ezra hugged Bella in a group hug. Ezra smiled. "7 kids are going to be a hand full."

Damon laughed. "Well, I wanted a big family before I became a vampire. I suppose now I'm getting it."

"Well, we're here to help you with anything," Charlie said finally, handing the picture to Violet for her to study it more.

"Thank you, dad," Bella said, and Charlie hugged her tight. He then moved to Damon and hugged him tight too.

"I love you both," Charlie said looking to Damon and smiling. "Welcome to the family Damon. Thank you for taking great care of my daughter."

Damon smiled and nodded. "She's good at taking good care of herself."

Bella and Damon watched the rest of them leave.

Upstairs Bella changed into her pajamas and lay down on the bed and sighed. "It has been a very long day."

"Mmm. It has, but it was the most perfect day. The stockings are filled for the twins and the girls in the morning. Caroline said that Christmas dinner is at six, and we're opening presents right after."

Bella nodded, rubbing lotion on her hands. "Good," she said and turned on her side towards Damon, as he slid into bed next to her. She moved towards him, her lips finding his. His hands moved up her sides, brushing lightly over the sides of her breast. Her hands moved up his bare chest, stopping there. She felt the tightness of his muscles ripple against her soft hands and then she pulled him deeper into the kiss, parting her lips to give him entrance with his tongue.

She felt him quiver and a low growl sounded in his throat, as her hands shifted down to his waistband.

"Bella," his voice was gruff and husky as she began to move his bottoms away. He freed her of her top, springing her breast loose, her porcelain skin glowing under the dim lighting from the bedside lamp. He pinned her on her back now, his mouth going to her neck, kissing her gently, and then her collar bone. His mouth traveled to her navel where he lay light kisses there. She sighed softly as his hands caressed her gently. He pulled away her silk, blue bottoms, revealing her lacy sapphire panties. He grinned up at her as he slid them down slowly, his fingers brushing down her legs, causing her to hum softly.

He brushed his fingers upwards up the inside of her legs, brushing the inside of her thighs before rubbing her gently. Her eyes closed briefly and opened again, twinkling with desire. He removed his boxer briefs and moved up to take her mouth with his again, their tongues clashing together in a heat. She felt him brush his erection against her entrance, so she arched for him, giving him the freedom to take her now. He entered her slowly, her sigh of pleasure making him shiver as he pumped in and out slowly. She rose her hips up against his in unison, finding a solid pace, gentle and rolling. Within ten minutes she felt herself rise inside, unfurling the tension building in her belly, and she climaxed, breathing Damon's name, her mouth ravaging his shoulder, biting into it as her climax rolled. He pumped into her steadily, building his own pressure, letting the pleasure overtake them both as he continued to push her over her edge. Her hands clung to him, her body vibrating under his as he came, spilling over her cup and filling her fully. He moaned loudly, his mouth seeking hers again as he drank in her pleasure and gave her his. He rolled with her, careful not to put any pressure on her. He slid out of her, gathering a small pleasured whimper from her, as he pulled her into his arms. She snuggled close against his chest and sighed a satisfied sigh.

It wasn't long before he felt the fullness of her breast and her small groan as she rolled away. Damon chuckled. "Well, I'll go get some towels to clean you up and your pump." He said and rolled out of bed, pulling on his pajama pants and retrieving a damp cloth from the bathroom to clean her up before disappearing again to get her pump.

Bella smiled at him as he got back into bed after she hooked herself up to the machine. "You know, most men would find this really weird."

"I'm not like most men. Besides you're feeding our children. It's not weird at all. Why would anyone think that this is weird," he said making a motion with his hand towards the double electric breast pump.

Bella laughed. "Well, you know society has this weird stigma against boobs being a primary food source for infants."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Then they're the weird ones."

She smiled and then leaned over and kissed Damon softly. "Thank you for not being weird then."

"Anytime," he said and then when she was done, he gathered the supply and put it up in the refrigerator downstairs. He ran into Stefan in the parlor, writing in a journal.

"Why are you up still?" Damon asked as he ventured into the parlor, still shirtless.

"Oh, I decided to write about the wedding and all of that in the journal. So, another baby?" Stefan asked as he closed the journal and looked up at his brother.

"Oh. Three babies. Carlisle did an ultrasound today. Triplets."

Stefan's mouth dropped open briefly, but he recovered quickly. "Well, that's a surprise."

"Oh, believe me, Bella was in major shock. She was worried about me more than anything."

"Worried about you? Why?" Stefan stood now, placing the journal on a shelf with other journals.

"Because we'll have 7 kids to look after."

Stefan nodded. "I mean, I can see where that would be worrisome, but I'm not worried. You're a great dad already."

Enzo walked in just then. "Your brother is right. You're a great dad. Five kids is a big leap though mate."

"Seven." Damon corrected.

"Wait what?" Enzo's brows furrowed together quizzically.

"Triplets." Stefan answer.

"Huh. Interesting. Is Bella okay?" Enzo asked, and then walked over to pour himself a drink.

Damon nodded. "Yes, she's taking it well. We're going to have to do some renovations to the boarding house for sure, because babies eventually become kids, and with the girls and now the triplets, they're growth rate is going to increase. We're going to have to prepare for that. Aira and Amaya are like 6-month olds now, but they will be growing faster. Carlisle believes that they will be four by June next year, so that's like six more months from now."

"The twins will only be like what a year old then?" Enzo stated.

"Yeah. It's going to definitely different. Now with Bella being pregnant again, it's looking like the triplets are growing four weeks ahead of schedule." Damon said and then glanced at the clock. "Well, I'm going to head back up to my wife. Don't drink all the liquor." He said and Enzo laughed as Damon walked back upstairs. So far, the kids were sleeping through the night, which was a benefit for Bella really because Damon didn't need nearly as much sleep.

He walked back into the bedroom and found Bella sleeping already. He smiled at her, admiring the sight before climbing into bed. In her sleep she gravitated towards him, nuzzling her face against his chest.


	34. Chapter 34

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you_**.

**_Writer's Notes: Thank you Moggy-Chan, munzke11, and kouga's older woman. I'm so happy that you guys are still following along with the story. I'm definitely going to miss writing on this, but it's wrapping up soon. Never fret, there will be more fanfics. I'm starting a Heroes/Smallville crossover, and I'll be doing another TVD/Twilight crossover, and I have an idea for a True Blood Fanfic as well as a Shadowhunters fanfic. If there are any fanfic crossovers, don't hesitate to leave me a PM about it. _**********

**_####_**

**[December 31****st****, Jai & Ness 6 months, Aira & Amaya 9 weeks, growth 6 months, Violet 28 weeks, Hope's growth 34 weeks, Bella 6 weeks, babies growth, 10 weeks]**

**~Salvatore Boarding House~**

The bell rang and Damon answered the door to Carlisle. "Hey Doc, results got back fast?"

"I did, is Bella up?" Carlisle said as Damon lead him into the parlor.

"Yeah, she's upstairs with Rose and Alice. They're doing pictures or something with the twins and girls. Rose and Alice like to buy a ton of cute outfits and take bunches of pictures. Bella goes along with them."

Carlisle nodded. "Well, Rose and Alice can be overbearing sometimes, especially Alice," Carlisle said and then took the glass Damon offered. "Bella doing okay?"

"Yeah, she's been tired, and the morning sickness isn't forgiving, but she's keeping up. She's so amazing and it surprises me sometimes at how strong she is."

Bella appeared holding Aira in her arms. "Amaya got tired and went to sleep, but Aira wanted to come see daddy." She said and then Aira was smiling big at Damon. Damon took Aira from her and bounced her gently in his arms, smiling brightly at her.

"So, you guys ready to know what the blood results show?" Carlisle asked, holding the envelope up.

"Yes," Bella said with a smile, sitting down on the couch, her hands clasped together.

Carlisle opened the envelope and took the results out. He smiled and handed Damon the paper. "It appears that there is male DNA present. You are carrying at least one boy. I'll be able to tell on an ultrasound for sure next month around the end of January. It looks like your babies are developing 4 weeks ahead of schedule. So, we'll continue with the ultrasounds weekly, but so far everything looks normal, the babies are fine."

Damon smiled down at the paper and then to Bella. "A boy. That's fantastic. I was afraid that Jai would be stuck with all sisters. It would drive him crazy."

Bella laughed. "Well, I think I would go crazy. Rose and Alice would just overload this house with frills and sparkles. Also, poor Jai." She hugged Carlisle. "Thank you. I know between me and violet we have been working you way too hard."

"Nonsense. It's nothing. You're like a daughter to me Bella. Don't ever think that I wouldn't do anything for you Bella."

Bella smiled. "Still. Thank you, Carlisle." She kissed his cheek and watched him leave. She turned and looked at Damon and Aira. "So, at least one boy. What do you think?"

Damon thought about it. "Hmm. I'm thinking two boys and a girl."

Bella thought about it. "What if the test is wrong and it's all girls still?"

"Cute. I'll love them no matter what, but me and Jai cannot be the only ones."

"Well, I think that they're all boys."

Damon thought about it as they walked up the stairs. "Well, you do have that mother's intuition."

**[January 28****th****, Jai & Ness 7 months, Aira & Amaya, 13 weeks growth 9 months, Violet 32 weeks, Hope's growth 38 weeks, Bella 10 weeks, babies growth 14 weeks]**

**~Mikaelson Manor~**

Violet moved around Hope's nursery, putting up some more of the baby clothes when she started feeling some discomfort. She groaned a little and rubbed right below her ribs. Kol paused in the doorway of the nursery.

"Violet? Are you okay?" he asked, coming into the nursery fully.

"Yeah, just some Braxton hicks. Carlisle said they're common. Bella had them with the girls, so this is normal." She let out a shaky breath as the contraction eased up.

"Maybe I should call Carlisle just in case," Kol insisted.

"No no. Don't bother him. He's with Bella today. She's getting an ultrasound of the trips," she continued to move around the nursery and then a couple minutes later, it moved over her again, her back throbbing in pain, and her belly tightened.

"Violet, I'm going to call Carlisle. I think that it's a good idea to get you up to the delivery room set up."

"Kol, I'm fine," she insisted through grit teeth.

"Violet, your water just broke. You're not fine. You're in actual labor."

Violet looked down at her feet and saw the puddling water. She groaned and then the pain hit her harder as the contractions were becoming intense. "Call. Klaus." She bit the words out.

Kol swept her up into his arms carefully and moved her upstairs quickly and set her down on the bed. He pulled his phone out. "Klaus, Violet is in labor. I'm calling Carlisle, but I don't think that he'll make it here in time. Hurry." He hung up the phone and yelled out for Rebecca.

Rebecca appeared quickly by Kol's side. She took in Violet's state and then moved around the other side of the bed and grabbed the gown that Violet picked out. "Kol get the birthing tub ready. I'm going to get her dressed and into the tub.

"Carlisle, it's time. Violet is in labor." Kol said quickly and was hanging up again and doing as Rebecca had instructed.

Violet groaned out as the contractions started again. Kol had the pool filling with water quickly and then Klaus was busting into the room. "Violet! Are you okay love?"

Violet groaned again and then Klaus had Violet in his arms. He got into the pool, his nice suit still on. The warm water helped ease the contractions, so Violet let her head lean back against Klaus' chest.

"Its okay love. She's going to be here soon. Carlisle is on his way." Klaus soothed.

Violet groaned again as the contraction rippled through her again.

"Klaus, they're getting really close together. I'm going to check her," Rebecca said and leaned over the side of the pool and checked Violet. "Oh. Okay Violet. I can feel Hope's head. On the next contraction we're going to push okay."

Violet nodded as the pain subsided. Klaus brushed her hair away from her face and kissed the top of her head. He was humming low in his throat, a little ancient lullaby. It was soothing and it helped to calm Violet.

When the next contraction reared up again, Violet bore down and pushed on Rebecca's command. "Okay, Violet, we're going to do one more push. You can do this. You're doing great," Rebecca said and Violet pushed again, and Hope entered the world. Rebecca pulled Hope up from the water and placed her on Violet. Kol brought over towels, handing them to Rebecca, who helped swaddle Hope up. Carlisle made it through the door finally and smiled over at Rebecca and nodded.

"Well, Hope is here. I'm going to check you out Violet to make sure everything is okay, finish this up. Then I'll check out Hope, if that's still okay?" Carlisle asked and Violet nodded, tears streaming down her face.

Klaus had tears in the corners of his eyes as he looked down at Violet holding Hope. "She's beautiful," he whispered, mesmerized by her. Violet nodded and leaned her head back against Klaus, a tired fatigue washing over her.

"Hey, Carlisle, her heartbeat, it slowed," Kol said, alerting Carlisle.

"Violet? How are you feeling?" Carlisle said calmly.

"Mmm." She said and opened her eyes.

"Rebecca, take Hope. Klaus help me get her onto the bed." Carlisle instructed and they moved fast.

"Violet? Can you talk to me?" Carlisle asked and Violet's eyes rolled around.

Klaus looked to Carlisle. "What's wrong? Her heart rate is slowing more."

"She's lost some blood. Her pressure is down. Do you have any O negative blood here?" Carlisle rolled up his sleeves to his elbows.

"We do. Kol go get some blood." Klaus commanded.

Carlisle slid Violet's legs up and inspected what was going on. "Ah, simple tear. I'm going to stitch this. In the meantime, Rebecca hand Klaus Hope, I'm going to need you to hang the blood for her. Remember what I showed you?"

Rebecca nodded and did exactly what Carlisle said. Kol returned with the blood and Rebecca took it and hung up the blood on the little hook that Carlisle had put in to prepare. He worked fast and stitched up the tear. "Kol, look in my medical bag and grab that back of saline and bring it over to your sister. Rebecca hang the saline and start that IV."

Rebecca and Kol moved quickly as Klaus watched Violet, his eyes showing worry and concern, but he gently bounced Hope as she started to fuss.

"Her color is coming back, and her heartrate is coming back up." Carlisle said and leaned back, grabbing a couple towels and started to clean away the blood. He then moved to his bag and got a stethoscope and lifted it up her shirt and listened to her chest and then her belly. "Everything sounds good. It was a simple tear, not uncommon. She labored so fast, and Hope is a little large. Let me go ahead and get her weighed." Klaus handed Hope to Carlisle and then moved to sit by Violet, grabbing her hand in his.

"She's okay?" Klaus asked, his voice wavering.

"She's going to be alright," he said and set Hope on the baby scale in the room on the little dresser. "Seven pounds, fourteen ounces. Twenty inches long. She's a healthy weight. She's really alert, her eyes are bright, and she's even smiling right now. Hope is doing really well." He said and then swaddled her up tight and picked her up, bouncing her a little.

Violet's eyes started to flutter as she looked around. "Hope?"

"She's okay love. You're okay. She's perfect. Nearly eight pounds!" Klaus said and kissed her softly. Carlisle brought Hope over to Violet and handed her down to her.

"Oh Klaus, she's got curly hair," Violet said as she lifted the little hat Carlisle put on her.

"My niece is already dazzling, her eyes are like purple violets," Kol said smiling over at her.

Klaus smiled down at his small, little daughter. "She's perfect, just like her mommy." He said and smiled down at her as Hope smiled up at him.

Carlisle smiled. "Alright. Rebecca, I want you to run another bag of the O negative blood and the other bag of saline. Keep an eye on her. I have to get back to Bella. We were just about to start the ultrasound. Oh, Bella is worried, give her a call when I leave," he said over to Violet.

"Thank you, Carlisle," Klaus said and watched him leave. Rebecca crowded over to the bed to look at Hope.

"So, did you guys think about a middle name for her?" She asked.

Violet smiled up at Klaus. "Hope Serenity Mikaelson," she murmured, and Klaus leaned down and kissed her.

"That is a wonderful name!" Rebecca exclaimed.

"Yeah it's beautiful," Kol said and smiled down at his niece. "At least she looks like Violet. It would have been a tragedy if she looked like you brother."

Violet laughed and then patted Klaus' arm. "Stand down. Girls are supposed to look like their mommy's."

"You're lucky she saved you," Klaus joked.

They all watched Hope close her eyes and drift comfortably off to sleep.

**~Salvatore Boarding House~ **

Carlisle returned quickly. Bella was hanging up with Violet when he walked in.

"Your niece is perfect and healthy. Are you ready to take a look at these three?" Carlisle said as he moved into the parlor. Damon was heading in behind him with a bottle of water.

"I take it Rebecca is being a good midwife?" Damon said and handed Bella the water.

"She is actually. Usually Rose is with me, but I had been teaching Rebecca for a while now because I thought it would be important to have extra hands for when the triplets get here." Carlisle said and then turned on the machine. Bella lifted her shirt up exposing her already swollen belly. She looked like she was already halfway through the pregnancy.

Carlisle rolled the wand across her belly like he has done many times before. Damon leaned in to look at the monitor. Carlisle did some measurements first and then swirled the wand around, tapping the keys to capture images. "Okay, baby A is a boy," he said and Bella grinned at Damon. Carlisle took another moment before deciding what baby B was. "Baby B, is a boy." He said, tapping the keys again and then moved the wand around to find Baby C, who was giving Carlisle a hard time. "Come on Baby C, let me measure your leg." Carlisle murmured, and then the baby stretched, giving Carlisle a better view. "Baby C is another boy." He said and took a few more pictures, before printing it out and handing it to Bella. "Congrats you two. Everything is still looking good. Triplets are usually born early. With how fast they are progressing I think it'll be safe to have them between June 17th and 24th."

Damon and Bella looked at the images of their boys. "You were right," Damon said finally, and Bella smiled.

"Yeah, I was right, wasn't I?" she hugged Carlisle before he left and then she carried the ultrasound picture to the kitchen and put it on the fridge. It wouldn't be long before they would arrive.

**[May 27****th****, Jai & Ness 11 months, Aira & Amaya 7 ½ months, growth 3 ½ years, Hope 16 weeks, growth 1 year, Bella 27 weeks, babies growth 31 weeks]**

**~Salvatore Boarding House~**

"Aira, Amaya! Please pick up the toys and put them up," Damon called after his daughters who were giggling. He stepped over the tea sets and big lego blocks and walked down the hall to Bella. She was on bed rest now for the most part until the boys arrived. He heard Stefan helping the girls pick up the toys that they had took out and he sighed. Stefan was spoiling the girls, and that is what made it hard to get them to pick up after themselves when "Uncle Steffie" did everything for them.

"Hey, when is Jazz getting here with the cribs?" Bella asked as she took the hot tea from Damon.

"Him and Peter are picking them up now and bringing them here. Rebecca and Lexi are busy painting at the moment. They finished up the girls new rooms, and they're moving the new beds in for the girls when Alice gets here because Alice has a 'vison' of how the room is supposed to look or whatever that's supposed to mean," he said and then sat on the edge of the bed. "You doing okay? You look pale today."

Bella smiled a weak smile. "Well, Carlisle said that really, any day now the boys could be born. He wants to put it off a few weeks, but I have a feeling they're not going to listen. I've been having some contractions off and on today."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Damon said, alarmed now, his hands went to her belly to gently caress her.

"I didn't say anything because I don't want anyone to worry just yet. I'm laying in bed all day, every day. I think that they're ready to be here any moment, and I don't feel like anything is wrong," she explained but Damon sighed.

"Bella you can't do this by yourself. That is why I'm here, to help you."

"I know, and I love you. But for now, just go help with getting things done before they do get here."

Damon looked at her for a long moment before sighing. He kissed her forehead and stood. "Okay. But you call for me the moment you feel any real pain got it?"

"Got it. Now go. I love you!" she said and watched him leave.

Damon sighed and paused a moment before leaving to check in on Lexi and Rebecca. They had the room painted, and it was drying. The walls were sage green and had beige and brown accents. The theme was dinosaurs. "Well it definitely looks like I stepped into the dinosaur age." The wall that would hold the cribs had the boys' names on the wall. Alexander, Julius, and Isaac.

"Everything is coming together." Lexi said and winked. "Go help 'Steffie' with the girls. I think they've got him tied up."

Damon laughed and walked into the girls' new room to find Stefan actually tied up. "Oh. Lexi wasn't lying when she said they tied you up." He burst out laughing.

"Oh haha. Yes, they have tied me up, but we're playing a game."

"What kind of game is this?" Damon said still laughing.

"Daddy daddy! Uncle Steffie is the monster and we tied him up so superman can come and take him away!" Aira squeaked with excitement.

"Oh, I see, Uncle Steffie is the big bad monster, and that makes you and Amaya the sidekicks?" Damon said, squatting down to get on their level. "But for right now, let's untie Uncle Steffie because he's needed to help put up your new brother's cribs when Uncle Jazzy gets here okay?"

"Awww okay," Amaya said and helped her sister untie Stefan.

Stefan got to his feet and glared at his brother. "Nope. I'm not going to listen to it. I let them do it. I could have escaped at any time."

"Hate to tell you brother, but these girls have you wrapped around their little fingers," Damon said with a smirk.

"You might wanna look in the mirror, because they also have you wrapped around their fingers too," Stefan said and patted his brother on the back before leaving to help Jasper with the new cribs.

Damon looked at his daughters running and twirling and playing. It made him smile to watch them grow and be happy. Pretty soon, they would be grown up before he knew it, and then these days would be over.


	35. Chapter 35

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. Thank you**_.

_**Writer's Notes: Thank you guys for all the supportive comments! I know this last chapter has taken a bit to get to you guys. I have wanted to make sure I end this well. I have got outlines for a few other fictions already down on paper, and I will start pushing those out one at a time. The next fic will be another Twilight crossover with TVD. I think that doing The Twilight Diaries has inspired me to go a different route with some characters. I am trying out something different, and perhaps unexpected. Look for the next title in my Fanfiction series "Because you Care". It will start popping up next. Without further adieu, here is the ending of The Twilight Diaries. Enjoy. **_____

_**#####**_

_**[June 1**__**st**__**, Jai & Ness 11 months, Aira & Amaya 7 ½ months growth 3 ½ years, Hope 16 weeks, growth 1 year, Bella 28 weeks, growth 32 weeks]**_

_**~Salvatore Boarding House~**_

_Stefan leaned down and picked up the blocks that Aira and Amaya scattered down the hallway for the twentieth time that day, still with a smile on his face, when Damon found him. "You know, if you don't make them pick up the toys, you'll forever be their little man servant." Damon teased. _

_"Oh, ha ha. They're only 3, you can't expect them to worry about meaningless chores such as picking up the toys they've just played with. They're little princesses, and have other things to worry about, like tea parties. Which reminds me, they require cookies." Stefan said and disappeared to put the toys up and to get the girls their cookies. _

_Damon smiled and shook his head and walked down the hall to Jai and Ness' room. He looked at them peacefully napping. The girls hadn't woken them up yet, and he was quietly thankful for that. He cracked the door and went on to his room with Bella to check on her. _

_He crept into the room quietly because he could hear her even breathing, making him aware that she was still sleeping. He leaned down and kissed her forehead and felt that she was a little warm. A worried look began to form on his face. She wasn't supposed to be this warm. He moved his hand over her belly to feel the boys moving, and they were pretty still, but he could hear their hearts fluttering. "Maybe she's just getting a cold," he murmured to himself and then sat back. Bella moved around, shifting, trying to get to lay on her other side. She winced a little, and Damon's hands were there, helping her. _

_She opened her eyes and looked up at him. A tired smile formed on her lips. "Hey. Thank you," she said, her voice a little hoarse. _

_"Are you okay? You don't look like you feel well at all." He said, his hand moving in circles on her belly. It usually calmed the boys down if they were fussy, and it also felt really good for her. _

_"I feel a little weak, but I think it's because of the rain we've had lately." She said and winced again. _

_"Bella, are you having contractions?" Damon stood now, getting his phone from his pocket. _

_"They're nothing. Just Braxton hicks. Nothing to be concerned over," she insisted. "I do have to go pee." She said and moved the covers back. The metallic smell hit the air and Damon knew that there was blood. _

_"Bella, you're bleeding I'm calling Carlisle now. Don't you move," he said and dialed quickly. Carlisle answered immediately. "Carlisle, something is wrong, Bella needs you here now, she's bleeding." The call ended and he looked at Bella, concern filled his eyes. "Bella, Carlisle is on his way. I want you to just lay here and be still. I'm going to get some towels, and get Alice, okay?" _

_Bella nodded and leaned her head into the pillow as Damon rushed out of the room. "Stefan!" His voice bellowed through the halls and Stefan rushed to his brother. "Is it Bella?" Stefan saw the worry on his brother's face and pulled his phone out. "I'm going to call Violet and let her know and Charlie." _

_Damon only nodded, he rushed down the stairs where Jasper, Lexi, and Alice were walking up smiling. They looked at Damon's face and their smiles faded away. _

_"Bella is bleeding. I need to get towels and warm water. Carlisle is on his way," Damon said rushed as Alice flitted away to gather up the items Damon had requested. Lexi went for the water and Jasper reached a hand out to steady Damon. _

_"Damon, it's going to be okay. I promise you; Bella and your sons will be fine. Come now, let's go and check in on her," Jasper said, helping Damon back up the stairs to Bella's room. _

_Jasper smiled at Bella when he saw her. Damon sat on the end of the bed as Jasper moved the covers around to see how much blood there was. "Okay. This is manageable. Carlisle is on his way, Alice and Lexi are bringing towels and water. Stefan is getting your sister and father here. Everything is going to be okay Bella, I promise."_

_"Thank you Jazzy," Bella's voice was still hoarse. Alice and Lexi moved into the room carrying the towels and water. Jasper took a step back and watched Alice and Lexi help clean Bella up. _

_"Bella?" Jake's voice sounded downstairs. Then you could hear the clomping of his footsteps with Caroline pushing into the room ahead of him. _

_Bella looked over at her best friend and her new sister. "Hey guys. I'm okay. Just a little blood. The boys are okay right now." _

_"Bella, you look so pale," Caroline murmured and then she saw her shiver. "You're cold." _

_Damon looked up at Jake and Jake nodded, understanding. He went around the bed and climbed in and sat next to Bella, keeping her warm. "You had a fever earlier, now you're just cool." Damon said when he checked her temperature with his hand. _

_Carlisle and Rose walked into the room, and everyone stepped back except Jake, who was currently helping her right now with his warmth. "Hey Bella, we're going to get the monitor on to check on the boys, but I'm also going to do an examine. If we could get some privacy-"_

_"Carlisle, it's okay. They're family," Bella croaked. Carlisle nodded and positioned the sheet. He checked her and nodded. He looked over at the monitor once Rose got it in place. The boys heart rate was steady, but it was too low for Carlisle's comfort. _

_"Okay Bella, what's happened is the placenta detached partially. If I don't deliver the boys now, then they could suffocate. You're dilated some already, but I recommend a c-section with triplets. You're really weak from the loss of blood already, and I don't want you to go into shock while trying to deliver, but if you want to try and deliver them naturally, I'll attempt it. It's your choice." Carlisle said, looking at her._

_"Carlisle deliver them safely. That is all I want." Bella said softly. _

_"Okay, then I need to get you to the hospital. I don't want to deliver these babies here without a neonatal unit. I'm going to go ahead and give you a shot that will help with their lungs. Then we'll get you transported to the hospital. It's only a ten-minute drive. Everything is going to be okay," He assured her and then moved to his bag and grabbed a syringe and a little bottle. He drew it up, and then he had Rose hang a bag of saline for hydration. He used the IV to administer the medicine, and then he patted her hand. "Your boys will be born today." _

_Everyone seemed to move really fast to get everything ready to get Bella ready to go to the hospital. Damon had to step back and let others work because he couldn't focus on anything but Bella. He sat, holding her hand, not letting go. _

_"Damon. If it looks like I'm not going to make it…"_

_"Bella don't talk like that," Damon said, his eyes stinging. _

_"If it looks like it, you have to turn me okay. You have to do it," she blinked her eyes and felt her eyes grow heavy. She was exhausted, but she had to fight to stay conscious, so she knew what was happening. _

_Charlie and Liz pulled up outside in the cruiser, lights flashing as the ambulance pulled up. With the help of the two EMTS, who were Paul and Jared. They had got certified and went to work at the hospital as a favor to Carlisle. With Meredith Fell there to back Carlisle, they could safely treat at the hospital if they ever needed to. _

_They carefully placed Bella on the gurney and rolled carried her down the stairs and put her in the ambulance. "Call Violet, Cal and Ezra, and tell them to meet at the hospital," Damon said to Stefan before disappearing into the back of the ambulance with Bella. _

_Alice gripped Stefan's hand in her's as they watched the ambulance leave. Stefan then pulled out his phone to call Violet, but she was already pulling up with Klaus and her brothers. "Where's Bella going? Is she alright?" Violet practically screeched at Stefan._

_"She's headed to the hospital to have the boys delivered by c-section. Carlisle wanted her there because of how little they'll be." Stefan said calmly and did a half hug with Klaus when he walked over to him. _

_Violet nodded and then wiped at tears that started down her face. Cal and Ezra hugged their sister, and she took a deep breathe. "Okay. So we just have to go to the hospital. Did dad and Liz head there already?" _

_"They're right ahead of the ambulance. Caroline rode with Damon in the back." Stefan said, and then looked down at his phone. "I'm going to finish gathering the bags that Damon forgot, then I'll meet the rest of you at the hospital." _

_Stefan said and watched as everyone moved towards their vehicles, but Alice followed him inside to help. "She's going to be okay. I've already seen it." She reassured Stefan._

_He nodded. "I'm sure she will be okay. Carlisle is a great doctor, and he'll take real good care of her." _

_Alice smiled and hefted the duffle that contained all of Damon's things in it for the hospital. They packed the car and headed straight to the hospital. _

_**~Mystic Falls Hospital~ **_

_The operating room was so white, and bright with many lights and sterile. Rose was there beside him in the operating room, along with three nurses, and Dr. Fell. The nurses would be compelled later if needed for Bella if she did happen to die while he was delivering the triplets. Bella looked around her as she felt her body start to numb. Carlisle gave her a spinal tap so she could stay awake to make sure that nothing goes wrong with the anesthesia. Damon was wearing scrubs when she saw him again, with even a little blue cap, and a mask. She smiled weakly at him. _

_"Don't you look like a doctor," she tried to joke. Damon smiled at her, but she couldn't tell because of the mask. He sat down on a stool next to her head and leaned his head down to hers. _

_"Everything is going to be okay, I promise," he whispered to her. _

_Carlisle looked over at Bella. "Okay, can you feel anything Bella?" _

_"No, everything is numb," she said glancing over at him and saw him nod to Rose and Dr. Fell. _

_He began his incision carefully. The nurses were by his side and they were counting all sorts of numbers and then she felt a little tug and then Carlisle pulled up one of the babies. She saw the fuzzy dark hair and then the small cries. One nurse took him and bundled him quickly and put him over on the table working quickly with suctioning and cleaning his face. Then Carlisle was pulling another baby up, the same dark fuzzy hair glistened in the light and the second nurse took him and bundled him and repeated what the other nurse was doing. The last baby was pulled up and out quickly and handed to Rose, who took him over and proceeded to copy what the other nurses did. _

_"Everything okay?" Bella's voice croaked out. _

_Carlisle looked strange, but didn't say anything right away, and then he was pulling something else out. Another baby. _

_Damon looked down at Bella and then up at Carlisle, who quickly had the other nurse take the baby and take care of it, while he finished with Bella. "Bella, don't be alarmed. This is rare and unusual, but we did seem to miss one of the babies on the ultrasounds." _

_Bella just stared at him and wasn't sure what to say. Damon cleared his throat. "It means there are quads not just triplets." _

_"Are they all okay?" She glanced over where everyone was working with the babies. They were so tiny. _

_"Bella your sons are all okay. They're all really strong," Carlisle said and then he was sewing her up. The nurses had them all cleaned and bundled in little incubators now except the fourth. _

_"All are boys?" Damon asked. _

_"No. The fourth is a little girl," Carlisle said and then moved around to Bella's head and slid his mask down and smiled. "She's okay. She's got some strong lungs. She's just the smallest one. The boys weighed between 3 ½ pounds and 4, while she's a little over 3 pounds. She'll be okay. I promise." _

_Bella nodded. "Okay," she said, and Damon smiled, moved his mask, and kissed her softly. "You did it, "he whispered. _

_It wasn't long before they moved Bella to recovery. Damon wouldn't leave her side, until she forced him to go check on the babies in NICU. _

_Damon stood and looked through the glass, watching until Carlisle came to meet him. "So, they're all doing great. Lungs all sound strong and clear. The little girl may be tiny, but she's really strong. We know that they accelerate quickly. In a week they'll be four weeks older, so they'll probably be strong enough to take out of the incubator then. You and Bella can come and sit with them in here. I have them isolated in this wing. Klaus compelled a few nurses to ensure that they are taken care of, and that no one notices the growth change. Dr. Fell is going to work with me on their care." _

_Damon nodded. "Good. That's good. When Bella is ready, I'll bring her up here to sit with them. I don't want to go in without her." _

_Carlisle nodded. "Congrats," he said and patted Damon on the shoulder and left him to watch his children quietly. _

_A few hours later, Bella was ready to see the babies, and so Damon got her into a wheelchair and wheeled her to see them. "They're so tiny," Bella started to cry. _

_"Shhh. Bella. We knew they were going to be little because of how early they were going to come. I spoke with Carlisle. They're all four doing great. The little girl especially. She's just like you," Damon said, and Bella nodded. _

_"So, which one is which?" Damon said with a smile. This made Bella smile too, and she looked at the four incubators. "Well Alexander is the biggest of course, I know that was him hanging out in my ribs. That's the one I was calling Alexander this whole time. This one is Julius because he has the longer fingers. He would stretch them all out and I could feel everything too. This one is Isaac. He's the wildest one. He's the one that felt like…he was in two places," She said and laughed. "I guess he sort of was since there was really a fourth one in there." _

_Damon smiled and kissed the top of her head. "And what about our daughter?" _

_Bella thought about it. "I'm not sure. I never thought about having another daughter. I didn't come up with other names." _

_"Well, I had thought of a few before we found out we were having sons." _

_"Oh? What are these names you've thought of?" _

_"Well, Ava was on the top of the list," He suggested._

_Bella smiled. "Actually, that is cute. I like that. Ava. Ava Leigh" _

_"There we go. That's her name." Damon said and looked down at his daughter. _

_**[June 8**__**th**__** Jai & Ness 11 months, Aira & Amaya 8 months, growth 3 ½ years, Hope 17 weeks, growth 1 year, Alex, Isaac, Julius, & Ava 1 week, growth 5 weeks]**_

_**~Salvatore Boarding House~**_

_The front door opened, and Damon walked through carrying two carriers with Stefan behind him carrying the other two. Jasper helped Bella through the door and to the parlor. Damon had given her a little of his blood, so she wasn't weak anymore, but Jasper was still trying to help. _

_"Thanks Jazzy," she murmured and sat down. Violet brought Hope with her to see her new baby cousins, and Lexi and Rebecca were gathering the other children to come meet their new brothers and sister. _

_Damon and Stefan set the carriers down and Damon startled unbuckling the seats. Aira and Amaya danced down the stairs with Rebecca carrying Jai and Lexi behind carrying Nessie. _

_"Babies!" Aira and Amaya cried out with joy plastered to their faces. Bella smiled at her two little princesses. "Meet your brothers and your little sister." _

_Aira and Amaya peeked at the four new arrivals and they smiled big. "Mommy there are four!" Aira said holding up her fingers. _

_"That's right. There's Alexander, Julius, Isaac, and Ava." Bella said pointing to each one. Damon watched his girls coo over their new siblings. Lexi and Rebecca carried Jai and Ness over, who were already starting to stand and wobble. They looked at the smaller babies with little smiles. _

_"Be-be." Nessie said and looked at Damon. He grinned. "That's right sweetheart. A baby." Nessie giggled and clapped her hands together. _

_Bella smiled at her children. The road ahead was going to be a hard one, but she had a lot of support help her through these times. She stood then and looked at Damon. "It's time." _

_Damon frowned and looked up at her. "Do we have to do that tonight?" _

_"Yes. It needs to be done." She said with a smile. _

_"Okay then. Go upstairs. I'll join you shortly," Damon said and so Bella hugged everyone and left them with the children. _

_"Is mommy going to be a vampire now like you daddy?" Amaya's small voice asked. _

_"How…" _

_Violet spoke up. "She can hear your thoughts. She's like me." Violet said with a small smile. _

_Damon was bewildered at this new found power of his daughter. It wasn't unusual for twins to have powers like these because of Bella's bloodline. But so early. _

_"Yes sweetie. That is the plan," he said as he knelt down beside her. _

_"Okay. I love you daddy," Amaya said and threw her arms around Damon's neck and hugged him, kissing him on the cheek. _

_Damon leaned back up, still looking taken back from the sudden knowledge of this now. Klaus smirked at Hope, because it was possible for her to gain some sort of supernatural power considering she was not only a hybrid, but she was also part witch. _

_Damon ascended the stairs, Alaric had shown up just in time, and so he went up with Damon, with Klaus and Stefan behind him. Bella was sitting on the bit in their bedroom when the four guys came in. _

_"Congrats Bella on the new additions," Alaric said with a smile looking at his niece. He was so very proud of her becoming a mother of 8. She was so young, and so full of energy. Now she was going to become immortal so she could live with those children." _

_"Thank you, Uncle Ric," she said as she stood. She crossed over and then hugged him. His arms were strong around her and he kissed the top of her head. _

_"All grown up," Alaric said and then she stepped over to Stefan and hugged him._

_"Thank you, Stefan. For so much help. You've taken on the uncle role amazingly, and I don't think I would have been able to keep up with the girls as much as you have." She said and then kissed his cheek. Then she turned to Klaus. "Klaus,"_

_"Little Swan," Klaus grinned. _

_"Klaus, thank you. I'm glad you're here to help Damon. I know this is difficult for him." _

_Klaus smiled and looked over at Damon. "Well, it's not difficult for just him Bella, it's just more difficult for some than others." _

_Damon sighed and took Bella's hand in his. "Are you sure?" _

_"Yes," she said no hesitation. _

_Damon bit into his wrist and his blood to her one last time, just to be on the safe side, even though he had given it to her a few days prior. She drank his blood slowly, then stepped back and smiled at him. "I love you," she said softly. _

_Tears stung at his eyes as the next part to come was nearly paralyzing. He wasn't sure if he could do it, but he had to do this. "I love you too," he said and then closed his arms around her, hugging her to him. Tears started to fall as he twisted her neck, the loud popping sound filling his ears. He collapsed with her to the floor holding her. _

_"Damon, she's going to be okay," Stefan said, kneeling next to his brother. _

_"I know," Damon's voice trembled. "I know this, but I just killed my wife. It's not something that I was looking forward to doing." _

_Alaric patted him on the back. "Listen, let's get her into the bed and comfortable. Most of the time, it usually takes about half an hour. All we do is wait for her and have a bag of blood ready for her." _

_Klaus nodded before leaving the room and going downstairs to retrieve a blood bag. _

_"Is she?" Violet asked him in the kitchen. _

_"Yes. We're waiting for her to wake up now, love. Everything is okay." Klaus said and then leaned in and kissed her softly. _

_Violet nodded and watched him leave to head back upstairs. The kids were still playing in the parlor, while the quads were being held by Lexi, Rebecca, Alice, and Jacob. _

_Klaus returned with the blood, looking at his watch. "Twenty minutes or so," he said and set the blood on the nightstand. _

_As time passed by what seemed like excruciatingly slow, Damon couldn't stop looking at her face, waiting for life to come back into it. _

_After twenty minutes passed by, Bella suddenly took in a sharp breath and shot up in the bed. Damon was there, his hands gentle, calming her down. "Bella, you're okay." _

_Bella looked around the room and nodded, spotting the blood on the nightstand next to her. Klaus reached over and picked it up and handed it to her. "There you go love." _

_Bella looked at it and then nodded before bringing it to her mouth and drinking it down quickly. Stefan took the bag from her and she got out of bed slowly, moving her neck and rubbing it a little. _

_"It actually hurt more than I thought it would," she joked, and Damon frowned. "Sorry, no, it's just I was thinking it wouldn't hurt at all, but it did sort of." _

_Stefan smiled. "Bonnie just got here. She brought you a present." He said when he heard Bonnie come in the front door downstairs. Enzo was with her. _

_Bella smiled and left the bedroom and seemingly floated down the stairs to where everyone was in the parlor. Bonnie smiled at her and then walked to her and hugged her. "Hey Bella. You look great. Like you didn't just have four babies." _

_Bella laughed. "Well, I suppose it's the quick healing from vampire blood." _

_Bonnie smiled and then held up a little box and handed it to her. "I know that the big night was happening tonight, and so I made this ahead of time." _

_Bella opened the box and smiled brightly. It was a silver, ring with lapis lazuli in the middle, with entwining golden vines holding it in place. Bella took it out and slid it onto her right middle finger and held her hand out to see. "It's perfect, thank you so much Bonnie." She said and pulled her into another hug. _

_Damon moved to Bella's side and then Aira and Amaya tackled Bella's legs. Bella laughed as she reached down and picked up Amaya, sitting her on her hip. "There's one of my precious princesses."_

_Amaya grinned widely at her mother, her bright blue eyes twinkling. "Mommy is a vampire!" she clapped. _

_Bella raised one of her eyebrows and looked over at Damon, who shrugged. "She can read minds like Vi. Don't look at me." He said, placing the blame back on his daughter jokingly. _

_Bella set Amaya back down and looked at the entire room. Some of her closest friends were there, along with her little family. She couldn't believe that she had reached this point in her life where she was married to the love of her life, had eight children, and a large family to help be the support she needed. This was something she would have never thought possible for herself a couple years ago, but now, she realized that this was worth the wait. This was worth all the pain that she endured in high school. Because now she was truly, purely happy, and she had Damon to thank for it. Without him, she would still feel a big hole in her heart, but he patched it and made her feel whole again. In turn, she made him whole. He held a darkness inside him that disappeared when he met her, and again when he became a father for the first time. Something that he didn't think was possible ever since his first days as a vampire. _

_Now she had eternity to look forward to with her family, an eternity that she will relish forever. _


End file.
